The Birth Of Crystal Tokyo
by Bill K
Summary: Sailor Moon, now ascended to Serenity, prepares to get down to leading Tokyo and the world to greatness amid a coronation ceremony. But not everyone is willing to follow.
1. Unfinished Business

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 1: "Unfinished Business"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2015 by Naoko Takeuchi and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2015 by Bill K.

* * *

In the chambers of Japan's Diet, the elected representatives sat at their desks and waited with almost as many moods as there were people present. The chamber and the Diet Building had survived the two years of ice and cold that had put the entire world into deep hibernation. Some of the members had died, unable to endure the cold and slip into hypothermic suspended animation. A few had survived and not returned, the brush with Armageddon compelling them to reassess their lives and their desires. Those who did survive and reported to work were ready to get to the business of restoring Japanese civilization to what it had been.

They all waited for the appearance of their saviors and potential new monarchs, Endymion and Serenity. And some of them were spoiling for a fight. Prime Minister Hino may have proposed abdicating in deference to Sailor Moon and her husband, and the general population may have demanded her ascension to power in every way but the impending referendum, but nobody consulted the Diet on any of this and there was more than one member determined to cling to power as tenaciously as they had clung to life while encased in ice.

At once, the Sergeant-At-Arms announced the arrival. Everybody turned. In came a man, tall and willowy like a tree. He wore a tuxedo colored pale gray and walked with steady confidence and determination. His black hair was tousled and thick. As he walked to the speaker's podium, his eyes would shift from one side of the aisle to the other, taking measure of the room. And the whispers began.

"Where is Sailor Moon?" more than one person asked. For Endymion was alone.

"Members of the Diet," Endymion spoke from the podium. "Thank you for coming. We have an arduous job ahead of us, rebuilding a society and an economy left in shambles by disaster. By setting aside personal goals and working together, we can achieve this in record time. Should the impending referendum go as many expect it to, my wife and I will be leaning on your expertise in government very heavily in the coming months . . ."

"Excuse me, Sir," one of the Diet interrupted, rising from his seat. "Just where is Sailor Moon?'

"Serenity," Endymion corrected him in a controlled manner, "has an important matter to attend to. She hopes to join us later."

"More important than addressing the Diet?" another Dietman asked pointedly. Endymion recognized him as Jinro Takahaski, one of the elders in the Liberal Democrat Party.

"She thought so," Endymion replied, trying to convey that he wasn't impressed by the man without coming across as arrogant. "And I've learned to trust her judgment."

"Now see here," another Dietman began, he being a ranking politician in the Democrat Party, "I don't care what Hino said. If you think you can just march in here and take command of the government . . ."

"If it's the will of the people, Dietman," Endymion replied like he'd expected such opposition. "But that's down the road. I should think our priority right now is to help the people you were elected to represent get their lives back."

"Don't take that tone with me," the Dietman snapped. "We are the legitimate government of Japan . . ."

"Then act like it," Endymion replied calmly. "We have more important things to worry about than fighting over power. There are people still suffering and many more with an uncertain future. They are what's important. Do you know the Yakuza is mobilizing to aid displaced and destitute people at this very minute, just as they did after the Tohoku earthquake, while you sit here and guard your power base? Do you all need to be taught that lesson a second time?" He refocused on the main body. "Now, I've outlined some immediate goals for getting the economy back on its feet and I'd like to hear your thoughts on how best to implement them."

* * *

Fukushima in the north; the two year ice age had actually neutralized the damaged reactors of the Daiichi Power Station, freezing the fuel rods to a point where even they couldn't throw off enough heat to be dangerous. But since the thaw, the heat and radiation from the rods were growing to critical levels. And the repair crews had been handicapped by deaths from the deep freeze, so that they were hopelessly understaffed and falling behind in containing the remains of the accident.

In one of her spare moments, Ami Fujihara had used her senshi computer to check on the plant. Her alarm was immediate and she reported her findings to Serenity. To the consternation of all of the senshi, Serenity responded by levitating into the sky and silently flying north. Now she was hovering over the ghost town that was Fukushima, the site of one of her greatest failures and the single greatest tragedy in Japan since World War II.

The empty city tugged at her heart. It was a city where time stood still. Wreckage was still strewn in the streets from three years earlier. Buildings were empty. Possessions were abandoned. The city had been off-limits to survivors except for brief visits, due to radiation levels. Save for the camp where the plant workers lived, the only life in the area were the vegetation.

Shaking herself, Serenity set down near the Daiichi plant. Some of the clean up crew spotted her and came over.

"You're Sailor Moon, aren't you?" one worker asked. "I heard you had saved us from the ice monsters. Thank you," and he bowed.

She nodded with a kind smile.

"You really shouldn't be here," he continued. "It's dangerous. The radiation . . ."

"Please get all of your workers away from the plant," Serenity gently requested.

When she wouldn't explain further, the worker got on his radio. Twenty minutes later, all six reactors and their control stations were evacuated.

Serenity spread her arms from her body. Her long gown began to billow in the wind off of the ocean, her trails of golden hair waving like streamers. Her head gently fell back and her eyes closed, her lips parting from slightly open teeth. The clean up crew began to gather, watching Serenity as she stood there, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Then a bubble of energy began to form around the entire plant. It had a vaguely silver tint to it, but was transparent enough to still see the plant. As Serenity brought her hands up, the bubble and the plant within rose up from the ground into the air, amid gasps from the onlookers. It hovered several feet above the ground, a giant chasm beneath it where the foundation had been. The workers looked at Serenity and could see the strain on her face. Her arms began to quiver and several of the onlookers began to fear she was doing too much.

Suddenly her arms shot forward. The bubble propelled up into the sky, growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared. Everyone was stunned by what they had just witnessed. Nothing human could have done it. But then, she was Sailor Moon.

Uttering an exhausted sigh, Serenity crumpled and was caught by several men. They eased her to the ground and knelt protectively next to her.

"Are you hurt?" one man asked.

"N-No," she shuddered out. "J-Just. . . does anyone have some tea?" One of the workers pulled a thermos from his lunch box and passed it to her. Serenity drank with shaking hands. She shuddered out a breath.

"That was amazing," he said, helping her steady the thermos. "Where did the reactors go?"

"The sun," Serenity wheezed out. "I pulled it from Ami's mind. It was the only safe place to put it . . . so it wouldn't harm anyone. . . ever again."

As Serenity put the thermos to her mouth again with shaky hands, several of the workers whistled in amazement. But they had seen it with their own eyes. And their Geiger counters were already registering a drop in background radiation in the area.

* * *

"W-Where's Usagi-Mama?"

Makoto tried to calm the young girl by stroking her hair, but she flinched away. Nervously Setsuko looked around the room, almost frantic for some sign of the woman who had rescued her from an oblivion of pain and hardship.

"Setsuko, it's OK," Makoto offered, trying to calm the girl. "She just had to do something. She'll be back."

Setsuko's response was to pull her legs up to her chest and surround them with her arms. She wouldn't look at Makoto. She wouldn't look at anybody. Makoto turned helplessly to Ami.

"Pronounced separation anxiety," Ami murmured clinically. "Seeing her parents killed in the disaster, then her brother murdered by looters has been a severe trauma to her. She's become afraid almost to the point of paranoia that she's fated to lose anyone she becomes close to and is separated from."

"So what do we do?" Makoto asked.

"Provide her with a safe, secure environment that allows her to learn over time that separation is not automatically permanent," Ami recommended. "Perhaps I can call Mother and have her stop by. Setsuko seemed to accept her as a trustworthy guardian." She pulled out a cell phone, but scowled upon activating it. "Assuming I can contact her. Cell service is still spotty at best in the city."

"You and your Mom work things out?" Makoto asked.

"We," Ami paused, "reached some common ground. There are still some very stubborn difficulties between us - - but at least we're talking again."

"That's good," Makoto smiled. "I always thought the two of you were making a big mistake being so stubbornly angry with each other. Sure, parents can drive you nuts. Anyone you love is bound to drive you nuts in some way. It's just the way we humans are. But intentionally pushing a parent or a child away - - maybe I'm talking out of turn. But it just seems like you and your Mom wasted a lot of time you both could have enjoyed, time neither one of you will ever get back, all because you both were too stubborn to admit that the other one had a valid point or two. And one day you're going to wish you had that time back."

Ami burned, both with embarrassment and just a little resentment at the subtle judgment of Makoto's words. Then the logical part of her brain analyzed what had been said and couldn't find a flaw in it.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," Makoto offered.

"It's all right," Ami mumbled, not looking at her. "I suppose it needed to be said. And your conclusion is logical - - painfully logical. I don't regret standing up to her. But I regret letting it go as far as it did. Thankfully I think she does as well." She offered Makoto a timid grin. "Once more I bow to your wisdom."

"Wisdom? Me?" Makoto marveled. "More like bitter experience."

"USAGI-MAMA!" wailed Setsuko. Both women turned to the child. Ami knelt down to her.

"Setsuko-Chan, please don't be afraid," Ami said, trying to allay the child's fears. "You're safe and among friends, and your Usagi-Mama will be back."

Suddenly Setsuko lunged for Ami and wrapped her arms around the woman's neck, burying her face in Ami's shoulder. Surprised, Ami folded her arms around the girl to support her.

"It must be my resemblance to Mother," Ami goggled, glancing over to Makoto.

"Maybe," Makoto smirked. "But whatever the reason, you're doing all right so far. I always thought you had the potential to be a really good mom."

"That," Ami replied uncomfortably, "that really is an unsubstantiated hypothesis."

But the tighter Setsuko clung to her, the more it seemed to feel natural to Ami.

* * *

On Sendai Hill, where a Shinto shrine once stood, Rei Hino sat amid the stone rubble that had once been buildings and broken trees that had once decorated the grounds, and stared. She didn't stare at anything in particular. It was like she was listening, waiting for a sign. Or else she was just too depressed to move.

A page blew in the wind and caught against her ankle. Rei looked down at it. It was a page from an issue of Nakayoshi, the manga she read mostly for Usagi's feature, "Fire Princess Rika". The magazine was in tatters now. The page, from another feature, bent around her ankle and came to rest.

Everything was gone. The bedroom she had grown up in. The alter she had worshiped at. The room where Makoto and Usagi and Ami had all been married in. The garden her grandfather had obsessively maintained. All gone. Even the marker that stood on her mother's grave was gone. And Akira - - her fellow priest had died on these grounds. Akira had been a good man. He hadn't deserved what happened to him.

A lot of people hadn't deserved what happened to them.

"Really did a number on the place, didn't they?"

Rei looked up and found Minako standing about twenty feet from her.

"How did you find me?" Rei asked listlessly.

"Artemis traced you through your communicator," Minako replied. "It's really too bad about this place. It really did a lot of people a lot of good. And Akira-Sensei was an all right guy."

Rei didn't respond.

"But hey, we're alive," Minako offered. "We can start over. Serenity's already built you a new shrine in the palace. I know it may not be the same as this one..."

Rei didn't respond.

"Earth to Rei," Minako said. "Look, we all suffered through this. My Mom and Dad lost their place. But they're still alive, so I call it a win. We can rebuild, start over."

Phobos flew down and landed on Rei's shoulder. The crow nuzzled Rei's cheek, but she didn't respond.

"Where's the other one?" Minako asked.

"Gone," Rei responded flatly.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Minako offered. "I know you were close." Then she got a thought. "You haven't seen more trouble, have you?"

"What?"

"With that priest mumbo-jumbo of yours. There's not another disaster coming, is there?"

"I don't know."

"YOU don't know?" Minako asked skeptically.

"My sight's messed up," Rei admitted. "I'm not comfortable in the dark. Or in closed in spaces. I don't sleep as much as I did. If I dream, I don't remember. Unless it's a nightmare. Boy, I remember those." Tears began to form in her eyes. "It's like the gods abandoned me in that prison cell." She wiped her eyes with her wrists. "Maybe they're ashamed of me now."

Minako was kneeling in front of her before Rei realized it. The woman gripped the priest by her upper arms.

"Then they're stupid," Minako said. "You're not a person to be ashamed of. You're one of the bravest chicks I've ever known."

Rei averted her eyes. "You don't know what it was like; what I went through; what I did just to survive."

"No, I don't," Minako replied seriously. "Hope I never do. But I know you. You've always had a ten foot stick up your butt, but you're a good person - - better than all of us at a whole Hell of a lot of things. And whatever you went through and whatever you did while me and the rest of the world were on ice is on the people who were holding you. Not you."

Rei contemplated this.

"Who has a ten foot stick up their butt?" Rei scowled. Minako smirked.

"Now that's a little more like it," Minako chuckled. "This was probably worse for you than any of us, because you weren't asleep for it all. I'm here for you. Don't know how much good I can do, but I'll give it a shot. And I'm sure you'll let me know when I screw up. Now how about we blow this place and rejoin the living?"

"Don't know how much good I'll be," sighed the priest. But she got up. Together the pair headed for the steps down to the street level.

"So, you think you can smudge your face a little so you're not so much competition in the gorgeous department?" Minako asked. Rei didn't respond, but she did scowl.

It was something.

* * *

"I'm just glad to know you're safe, Dad," Michiru said over the phone. She was curled up on the sofa of the home she shared with her life mate, Haruka Tenoh. The home had survived the ice with little damage, as had the garage and to Haruka's absolute relief the Lamborghini Reventon housed within. "I'd have called sooner, but with the chaos in the city and the spotty phones, it's the first chance I had."

With the initial shock of the disaster passed and the knowledge that rebuilding was ahead of them and Sailor Moon would lead them, the city had settled into a calm. This allowed the senshi to pursue some personal agendas.

"Yes, tell Mom that Haruka's fine," Michiru replied. "No, we were luckier than most. We got out with nearly everything intact." Michiru thought back to learning that Usagi's parents had been killed during the disaster. "Yes, Dad. The Gods did smile on us."

She heard Haruka returning from the garage.

"I've got to go, Dad," Michiru said. "When things calm down a little, you and Mom and Haruka and I need to get together for dinner." She smiled. "I think you can pry yourself away from overseeing rehab on the canning plants for one night." Something he said made her roll her eyes. "Yes, Dad. Bye, Dad."

Looking at Haruka when she entered, Michiru immediately saw the concern in her mate's face.

"I'm driving out to Niigata," Haruka announced.

"Is there trouble with Junko?" Michiru asked.

"I don't know. I can't get her on the phone."

"Haruka, it may be nothing," Michiru advised her. "The ice downed a lot of land lines and cell towers and phone service is still pretty hit and miss yet."

"Yeah. Sure. That's what it could be," Haruka nodded. "But I gotta know."

"Do you want me to come along?" Michiru asked.

Haruka considered it. "No, Dumpling might need you here."

"All right. And forgive me for saying this, but drive carefully."

Normally such a statement would have been an insult to Haruka, who handled a car at high speeds like normal people handled a pair of gloves. But given her anxiety over Junko's fate, the warning was justified. Haruka smiled and nodded. She turned to head back to the garage and the Reventon.

"Oh, and Haruka," Michiru added, smiling wryly, "that's Queen Dumpling from now on."

Haruka chuckled as she opened the door to the garage.

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. Baby Steps

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 2: "Baby Steps"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Near the shining Crystal Palace, which sat conspicuously in the middle of Juuban Park where the lake used to be, an aid station had been set up. While damaged hospitals were being repaired and undamaged ones were being brought back on line, aid stations had been set up all over the city to treat the injured, the sick and people with other medical conditions who couldn't visit their regular physicians because those physicians had died or been displaced by damage to their offices. Those displaced physicians and medical techs were staffing the aid stations. The entire program had been spearheaded by Ami Fujihara and Endymion and coordinated through Tokyo's police and fire departments. Patients in need of hospitalization were taken to hospitals that were up and running.

In the station near the Crystal Palace, in a huge tent partitioned by cubicle walls salvaged from an office building, Kaname Mizuno was probing the neck of an eight year old girl while her father and older brother looked on. The three people all looked disheveled and dirty, a look that a lot of people in Tokyo had who didn't have basic utilities like running water back yet.

"Glands seem fine," Dr. Mizuno mumbled. "There's no sign of mumps, measles or dysentery. Does the child have a history of allergies?"

"No, Doctor," the father said. He was a burly man, used to being strong. But this crisis so soon after the others had sapped him of his strength and made him afraid. "Will she be all right? I don't want to lose her. We already lost her mother . . ."

"I doubt it's serious," Dr. Mizuno assured him. With the air of authority she projected, it was difficult not to believe her. "I believe it's just a cold. It's a residual effect of being frozen that we've been seeing. Keep her warm. She needs as much rest as she can get and as much fluids as you can give her. I'd give her a decongestant," and she sighed, "if I had any. Are you eating well at home?"

"As well as we can," mumbled the father.

"Make sure she eats. And try to keep her as far from other people as you can for a few days. She should be fine then. If not, come back here and I'll do what I can."

"Thank you, Doctor," and he bowed like he owed her his daughter's life. As they left, Kaname Mizuno found herself smiling.

"Now you see one of the reasons why I chose the path I did," Ami said. Kaname turned and found her standing a few feet away.

"I never questioned the good you were doing as a GP," Kaname said, fussing with her medical kit to avoid looking at her daughter. Then she relented. "Perhaps I was a bit - - strident in my protest, but I maintain that my hypothesis was correct. You could do the world more good in medical research." She pushed her hands to the table and willed herself calm. "Perhaps I could have done the world more good in research than in pediatrics. I suppose I shouldn't judge. And I confess, I would miss the interaction with patients if I took up such a course."

"And the gratitude," Ami added.

"It does make you feel warm inside, doesn't it," Kaname grinned.

Just then the crowds in the aid tent parted. Ami and Kaname looked and found Endymion approaching quickly. Before either could speak, Endymion urgently grasped Ami's arm.

"It's Serenity," he said. His manner alone gave Ami a chill.

Struggling to keep up with the long-striding Endymion, Ami crossed the open lawns that had been Juuban Park. As they neared the Crystal Palace, Ami looked around for some sign of Serenity and what had happened to her. Her fear was that Serenity had tried to do too much with her new power, given that she was last seen headed for Fukushima and the nuclear plant there. It was a thought that had gnawed at her for days, even before the reading on the plant came to her attention. Knowing the old Usagi as she did, she knew how difficult it was for her friend to say 'no' to anyone in need. Serenity over-extending herself seemed to Ami to be less of a matter of if it would happen and more of a matter of when it would happen. However, the more she looked over the grounds, the more confused Ami became.

"Endymion, I don't see her," Ami said. They came to a stop near the palace wall.

Without speaking, Endymion levitated into the air. His gray cloak fanned out as he took to the sky with an effortlessness that Ami found difficult to comprehend. Absently part of her mind calculated the physics behind the act while the rest of her followed him anxiously with her eyes. Far into the sky, Endymion encountered a second entity. Ami feared it was Serenity. As Endymion descended, her fears were confirmed. Serenity was clutched to his body, her form limp and clinging to him. As he landed, Endymion eased Serenity to the grass. Ami knelt down next to her and began examining her.

"You pushed yourself too far again," Endymion said. "I felt it."

"Please don't be mad," Serenity wheezed.

"Pulse is racing," Ami declared. "Breath shallow, skin clammy. She's about to go into shock."

Scooping her up into his arms, his cloak draping over them both, Endymion hugged his wife to his body and kissed her on the neck just below her ear. Ami was about to suggest hospitalization when Endymion flared gold. The intense light was momentary and when it dissipated, Serenity seemed calmer. As Endymion set her down, Ami grasped her wrist.

"Pulse is better," Ami said. "So is respiration. She still needs to rest."

"I'll see to it," Endymion replied, hoisting Serenity up into his arms. "Thank you, Ami."

"What did I do?" she muttered. "Serenity, you went to Fukushima, didn't you?"

"Yes," she exhaled.

"You may have been exposed . . .!"

"Not anymore," Serenity whispered. "Gone. Sent it away." And she rested her head against Endymion and went to sleep. Endymion carried her into the palace, leaving Ami to consider what Serenity had just told her.

* * *

Laying in a hospital bed in Niigata, Junko Tenoh tried once again to focus on the program running on television. The hospital had only recently had electrical power restored, allowing them to stop their emergency generators. Likewise, the station on the television, broadcasting reports from around the nation of the recovery effort, was the only one currently transmitting and had only recently returned to the air.

The station depressed her, but turning the television off only left her with unrelenting silence. It wasn't like she could move around. Both arms and her entire upper body were in a cast. And if she didn't watch the news reports on television, she would only think back to when she was trapped under the ceiling beam in the collapsed portion of her off-campus apartment building. She'd been there for so long - - two years she'd come to find out, though most of that time was in suspended animation. It had been agony enduring the weight of that beam across her chest and upper arms, unable to move, then seeing that horrible ice monster and thinking it was her last moment on Earth.

But she'd been fortunate. She'd survived. Five of the other residents, she'd found out, hadn't. And her cat, Lady Eboshi, hadn't. And that got her to wondering if her parents had survived. Or Haruka. Phone lines were still down between Niigata and Tokyo, not that she could dial anyway. Did they survive? Or was she the only family she had left?

Something made her look up, and there was Haruka in the doorway to her room. It was as if she had appeared from a wish. The woman, standing tall and strong like the ancient warrior she was, had a curiously unwarrior-like expression on her face. It was a mixture of joy and relief and anxiety and even fear.

"Hey," Junko croaked out hoarsely. The respiration tube in her nose made talking difficult. "Good to see you again."

"Good to see you," Haruka offered meekly. "When I couldn't get you at your place, I kind of got a little worried." She grinned awkwardly. "Now that I see you, I understand why. What happened?"

"Building caved in," Junko recalled with obvious distaste. "I got pinned under a beam. It broke my collarbone, eight ribs and both upper arms." She swallowed, then flashed a brave smile. "But I'm not paralyzed. Doctor says I could have been." For emphasis she wiggled the fingers extending out from the casts on both arms.

Haruka pulled up a chair next to her bed. "Guess you're tougher than I thought you were. Suppose I better stop calling you 'kid' now."

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Are they gone?" the girl asked.

"Yeah," Haruka assured her. "Dumpling - - Sailor Moon, she took them all out." Haruka seemed to grow embarrassed. "SHE took them all out. She's - - a lot stronger now. Everybody's picking up the pieces now, trying to get back to normal."

"Yeah, I saw it on the news," Junko replied. "I bet you helped her a lot. Uh, you all came through it, didn't you? Where's Michiru?"

"She stayed in Tokyo," Haruka informed her. "All the senshi came through it. There's even talk about making Sailor Moon Queen of Japan. Probably do a better job than the guys we have in there now."

"That's good," Junko smiled. "How about Mom and Dad?"

Haruka's smile dimmed. "I don't know. Haven't checked."

"Haruka," Junko began to admonish.

"I've been busy, OK."

"Could you find out?" Junko asked. Haruka gave her an impatient glance. "For me? I don't have any way to find out. There's no phones between here and Tokyo and I'm going to be stuck in this bed for the next six weeks. I'd like to know. I think you'd like to know, too, deep down. But even if you really don't, I would, and you'd really be helping me out."

Haruka sighed. "OK. Don't start blubbering. You'll probably flood your tube."

"Who's going to blubber? You've never seen me blubber," fussed Junko. Haruka opened her senshi communicator.

"Haruka," Michiru answered from Tokyo. "Did you find Junko?"

"Yeah," Haruka said, then smirked. "She's just laying around acting like she's sick or something." Junko stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Can you do her a favor?"

"Us," Junko corrected. "Do 'us' a favor."

"Pipe down and give your voice a rest," Haruka replied. "Junko's worried about - - her parents. Can you swing by their place and check on them?"

"I'll go right now," Michiru answered. "Will you be staying in Niigata?"

"For a little while," Haruka told her, then glanced at Junko. "Have to make sure these docs know what they're doing."

"Let me talk to her," Junko asked. Haruka held the communicator over to her face. "I really appreciate this, Michiru. Not knowing is the worst."

"Hopefully I'll have good news," Michiru nodded. Haruka brought the communicator back to her. "All my love until we're together again."

"You stay safe, Love," Haruka replied. After signing off, she caught the expression of tender bemusement on her sister's face. "Yeah, yeah," the woman scowled. Junko giggled.

* * *

Endymion came into the Royal Chambers to check on his wife. He'd left Serenity sleeping soundly, a by-product of her massive energy expenditure. While he appreciated that there were things she felt that she could do that only she could truly do, Endymion feared that the temptation to do too much in her life's quest to eradicate unhappiness in everyone would lead her to injury or worse. She needed to learn when to say 'no'.

There she was, still sleeping in the same position he'd left her in when he gently laid her on their bed. And she was drooling, so he felt she was all right. But there was a surprise waiting for him. Laying next to her, curled up against her breast, was little Setsuko. And sitting on the dresser in the corner was Luna. The cat looked up at him.

"The child crept in a bit after you left her," Luna informed him. There was a tremor of sympathy in the black cat's voice. "She seemed so forlorn and desperate for The Queen's company that I didn't have the heart to turn her away."

"I don't think Serenity will mind," Endymion smiled.

"It seems to have done Setsuko a world of good as well," Luna observed. "Your Majesty, the child was positively frantic earlier when The Queen was away. Yet look at her now, contented and secure with the world." The cat grew sad. "I realize that Crystal Tokyo is in its infancy and we have a long road ahead of us, but the sooner such suffering can be eliminated from the world, the better I shall like it."

"I agree," Endymion replied, staring at the two women in satisfaction. Luna noted that he seemed as contented and secure now as little Setsuko was.

"How does the recovery fare, Your Majesty?" Luna asked.

"Utilities are about forty-five percent restored in Japan," Endymion related. "Everyone has food and shelter, such as it is, but a lot of businesses are wrecked. Once utilities are back on line, we can begin reconstruction." He expelled a breath. "But that's going to take money and a lot of cooperation between government and private industry: paying for the construction, keeping the businesses afloat and supporting the furloughed workers."

"And you're intimating that not everyone will wish to cooperate," Luna assessed. "Forgive my naivete, but how can some still cling to self-interest in times of national emergency? What good are money and power if society itself crumbles beneath them?"

"That's why she's here," Endymion replied wistfully, nodding to the sleeping Serenity. "To coax the better parts of ourselves from us."

Just then, Serenity began to stir.

"Is it breakfast time? I'm hungry," she mumbled. Then she pried her eyes open. "Oh! Setsuko-Chan!" She began to shift on the bed, but Setsuko's arms shot out and locked behind her neck.

"Usagi-Mama!" the child squealed fearfully.

"Oh, did you miss me while I was gone?" Serenity cooed and kissed the top of the child's head. "I'm sorry. But I'm here now. Are you hungry? I know I am." Setsuko looked up and timidly nodded. "Then let's go down to the kitchen and see what we can scare up, OK?"

With some difficulty, since Setsuko was reluctant to let go, Usagi got to a sitting position on the bed. Then, supporting Setsuko against her, the Queen got up.

"Are you feeling up to this, Your Majesty?" Luna asked anxiously.

"I'm all right, Luna," Serenity assured her. Then her mouth thinned. "And what did I say about . . .?"

"TUT TUT!" Luna replied sternly. Serenity stuck her tongue out at the cat.

"I'll fix you both something," Endymion told her. "Then I'll fill you in on everything that happened while you 'were away'."

"Thank you, Mamo," Serenity began, chastened, "um, Endymion."

* * *

Pulling her Nissan Altima up to the address where Haruka and Junko's parents lived, Michiru got out and looked around. The entire block, as was every other block of the residential district, as was every other residence in Tokyo and Japan and the world, was rows of the same simple oval white plaster and concrete structure. Fruit trees dotted the landscape wherever there wasn't a home or road and vegetable patches grew haphazardly in between the fruit trees. Michiru just took a moment to take the scene all in.

"Well, at least the flora provides some aesthetics to the overwhelming sameness of the structures," she sighed, her artistic sensibilities irritated. "I suppose function does supersede form in times like these. But some day, SOMETHING has to be done about this."

Forcing herself back to the task at hand, Michiru walked up to the door of the bland oval dwelling that had replaced the home Haruka had grown up in - - well, lived in for her first thirteen years. She hadn't really grown up until she was off on her own. Michiru reached the door and paused. Every time she'd spoken to Haruka's parents, it had been a trial. If they blamed Haruka for "turning homosexual", they blamed her for keeping Haruka from "coming to her senses". If it weren't for Junko wanting to know their fate, Michiru would turn around and leave now. But she had agreed and her word meant something to her. Summoning her courage, Michiru pressed the doorbell.

She pressed it again when there was no answer. When there was no answer again, she knocked. Beginning to fear the worst, Michiru tried the door knob. The door was unlocked and opened easily.

"Hello?" Michiru called out, venturing in cautiously. "It's Michiru Kaioh! Haruka's - - friend." There was still no answer. The dwelling was very still. Down the hall, Michiru could see a broken dining table, indicating at least part of the house had caved in before Serenity rebuilt it. "Is anyone here? Do you need help?"

Venturing into the dwelling, Michiru scanned all around for some sign of life. As she passed the living room, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was Haruka's father, Gert, sitting in an armchair, staring at nothing. She eased over and bent down to him.

"Tenoh-San," Michiru said. Gert just stared into space. His ruddy complexion seemed dull and lifeless, but he was breathing. "Are you hurt?" He didn't answer. "Where is your wife?"

His jaw trembled. "Gone," he whispered. The man seemed so lost and alone. In spite of their differences, Michiru's heart went out to him. But Michiru's presence made him think of Haruka and that made him think of Junko. "Junko. Where is Junko? Is she all right?"

"She's in a hospital in Niigata," Michiru told him. His head turned to her and the fear in his eyes was overwhelming. "She suffered some injuries during the disaster, but she's going to recover."

"Must get to her," Gert mumbled and began the torturous process of prying himself from the chair. It was clear to Michiru that he'd been sitting there for a while, and coupled with his declining health had made him that much more feeble. But she noticed something else, too.

"Haruka's fine, too," she added.

"Have to get to my Junko," Gert repeated and forced himself to his feet.

"I can drive you there," Michiru offered, even though she didn't feel very charitable toward the man. Gert turned and stared at her.

"I catch the train," he replied, turning away from her. As he shuffled toward the front door, Michiru once more felt the frustration of being thought of as less that worthy.

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Old Feelings

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 3: "Old Feelings"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Rei Hino sat on the floor in the middle of the shrine built in the Crystal Palace. Her legs were crossed and she was trying to meditate. Achieving calm was one of the keys to accessing her center. This would allow her sight to flow, as well as her spiritual sensitivity and her connection to the gods. It would allow her to not dwell upon the fact that the shrine was a closed-in room, that some burly, disgusting Son of Ymir wasn't lurking in the shadows, ready to commit some new degradation at any moment. That she was free and they weren't looking to pounce on her when she least expected it and drag her back to that cold, dank, dark, dirty prison cell. Her eyes snapped open. And she found herself bursting out the door of the shrine and into the corridor of the palace, her chest heaving. It was there she ran directly into Serenity.

"Rei!" the Queen gasped, grasping Rei by the upper arms to steady her. "I was coming to see you. Is something wrong?"

The priest looked into the face of the woman she would die for, a face dripping with concern for her. Beside Serenity, little Setsuko stared up uncertainly at her, one tiny hand clutching the fabric of Serenity's gown. And the embarrassment threatened to crush her.

"There's no need to be embarrassed," Serenity assured her. Rei stared at her in shock. Was this how other people felt when she did that to them? "Something is bothering you. What is it?"

She wanted to tell. But how? How to admit to something she didn't even want to admit to herself.

"Come on, Rei. Take my hand," and Serenity offered her hand to the priest.

Rei stared at the soft, tiny hand for a moment, then shyly took it. Serenity offered her other hand to Setsuko and the child grasped it. And together they walked down the corridor to one of the balconies overlooking Tokyo.

"Look at this city," Serenity said. Rei looked out across the city. Some of the old skyline was still intact. But some of it was rubble and the rest were uniform concrete and plaster bumps. "It was the best I could do. I keep wanting to do more. Just like," and she glanced down at Setsuko, "I want to do so much more for her - - so she'll stop suffering. And so much more for everyone who is still suffering."

Rei didn't answer. She comprehended her friend's pain, but couldn't motivate herself to do anything to help. Acting up got a beating.

"What are you suffering from, Rei?" Serenity asked. "Is it the disaster? Is it everything you lost? Is it what happened in that other dimension? Do you miss Derek?"

"Derek," Rei whispered. In all the confusion of events and all of her depression over what had happened, she hadn't once thought of Derek. He'd slid to the back of her mind amid two years of torture and deprivation. She didn't even know if he was still alive.

Glancing to Serenity, she found the woman kneeling in front of Setsuko. Her hand was touching the girl's temple and it glowed silver. Rei couldn't comprehend what the woman was doing. But she noticed the child was growing less and less anxious. Finally the silver glow faded. Serenity rested her forearms on her knees and smiled at Setsuko.

"Feeling better?" Serenity asked.

"Yes, Usagi-Mama," Setsuko nodded and smiled timidly. Rei was struck by how much more charming the child was when she smiled.

"If you like, you can go play in the palace now."

"I'd rather stay with you, Usagi-Mama."

"All right," Serenity replied. "But I can be pretty boring. Are you sure you don't want to go exploring?" Setsuko shook her head. "OK. But I warned you." She stood up while Setsuko curiously peered over the balcony railing. "I can't stand to see people suffer," she said to Rei.

"Yeah," was all Rei could manage. She hated feeling this way. It was like she was mired in tar and just seemed to be sinking lower with every moment.

And then Serenity touched her hand to Rei's temple.

* * *

The sound of a nurse changing her IV bag woke Junko. She didn't say anything and allowed the nurse to perform her duty and leave. Glancing over to Haruka, who was sitting in a chair next to her bed, Junko found her sister following the woman's exit with her eyes. It was a paranoid move, not like the other times she'd caught her older sister staring at a woman in an admiring manner. The gesture made her wonder what Haruka had gone through during the battle with the monsters that had frozen the entire planet, and what else she'd faced that the Japanese public didn't even know about.

"Stop staring or I'll tell Michiru," Junko joked, trying to lighten the mood of the room. Haruka glanced at her, trying to judge the meaning behind the words. She knew that her anxiety over Junko's situation had been more overt than she was comfortable showing. She wanted to somehow say something or do something to heal her sister and didn't know what and was frustrated by that fact. And she could tell Junko knew that.

"She's not my type," Haruka grunted.

"I thought 'breathing' was your type," Junko continued to insert the needle.

"I've already got the best," Haruka confided. "Everything else is just admiring the scenery." Haruka was staring off into a corner of the room. She darkened. "Was it scary? Laying there, with everything falling down around you?"

"Yeah," Junko admitted. "Couldn't help thinking that, if it was the end, that it was a stupid way to - - to go."

Haruka looked at her with some surprise.

"I'd rather go out fighting," Junko continued. "Not that I could do much against something like them. But I'd rather try and fail than just lay there and hope that it isn't the end."

Haruka nodded. "I can relate." She glanced away from her sister again. "Sorry for depressing you. Probably shouldn't have asked, but I was . . . well . . ."

"It's OK," Junko assured her.

Just then, Haruka's communicator signaled. She pulled it up to her face. Junko strained to hear. She could tell it was Michiru.

"Haruka," Michiru said, "are you with Junko?"

"I'm here," Junko called out so the communicator could pick her up. "What happened? How are they?"

"Well, your father is still alive," Michiru reported. "He's on his way to Niigata to see you as soon as he can get a train."

"What about Mom?"

There was a pause and it told Haruka everything.

"I'm sorry, Junko," Michiru said reluctantly. "She didn't make it."

Junko expelled a breath. Tears welled in her eyes and she turned her head so Haruka wouldn't see them. Several more shuddered breaths later, the girl still couldn't find her voice. She turned back to her sister, seeking to console and be consoled.

"Haruka?" Junko marveled, seeing sympathy for her but nothing else. "Mom's dead! Don't you feel anything?"

"No," Haruka replied. "I'm sorry, Junko. I was scared to death worrying about you. If you'd died, well . . ." She was silent for a moment. "But I can't feel anything for her. I know you're hurting right now and I'll try to help with that. But I don't feel anything for her." She looked away. "A person can only take so much."

Haruka reached over and got a tissue from the night stand. She leaned over Junko and dabbed her sister's tears as the girl cried.

* * *

Several workers were loading pallets of relief supplies onto a truck with fork lifts. The pallets were being transferred from a warehouse in the dock district to a central distribution center in Shinjuku-Ku. It seemed like an ordinary bit of business. In fact, to anyone looking, it was a welcome bit of normalcy returning to Tokyo. But the men driving the trucks and the fork lifts weren't what they seemed, unless they seemed to the trained eye like Gurentai for one of the local Yakuza gangs. And the pallets of toilet tissue, bottled water and disposable diapers going on the trucks didn't belong to them.

"Yo!" came a loud voice from in front of the trucks. Everybody stopped and looked to the sound of the voice. Standing fifteen feet in front of the trucks was Sailor Venus. She was smiling confidently, boldly, as her short skirt whipped in the breeze off of the ocean. "Got a receipt for that?"

Stepping out of a car that had been parked to one side of the warehouse were two men. Venus knew their type instantly: Mid-twenties, with tailored grey-black suits that gleamed in the light of day, dark sunglasses and thick black hair done in American pompadours with thick sideburns. They were grim and tough-looking, used to physically intimidating people probably from their days in high school or earlier. Hands dove under jackets and produced a pair of Glock 17 automatic pistols which were quite illegal in Japan.

Venus just grinned. That threw the two Gurentai for a moment.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Venus shouted. The chain shot out and wrapped around one of the Glocks with the speed, ironically, of a bullet. Before he could react, one of the Gurentai was disarmed, the pistol clattering to the pavement at the end of the Love Me Chain.

The second Gurentai squeezed off a round at where Venus was, but she wasn't there anymore. She had spun to her right, which both took her out of the line of fire and retracted her chain to her. As the chain freed itself from the pistol, the end whipped up, arced and came down across the hand of the second gunman sharply. Pain forced him to drop his weapon. The pair stared in shock at Sailor Venus, who was retracting her chain.

"So, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?" Venus asked confidently. "I'd kind of like to do it the hard way, because I REALLY don't like you Gurentai chumps."

The ignition firing on one of the trucks drew her attention. There were three trucks and all of the drivers were trying to escape in the confusion of battle. Venus pivoted to face the trucks.

"Crescent Beam!" she shouted. Golden energy shot out from her finger and sliced through the engine block of the truck on the right. The engine died on the spot. Her beam shifted to the truck on the left and sliced through the front wheels. The truck came to rest on the flat halves of the front wheels and could no longer move.

The center truck, however, was in motion and bearing down on Venus quickly. Its intent was to ram her. Venus caught the gaze of the driver and saw his intent was to make her dodge or go through her.

"Venus!" she roared, her hand splayed at her side. "Love and Beauty Shock!"

The energy force collided head on with the truck, stopping the massive vehicle in its tracks. It was like hitting a concrete pillar. The back end of the truck flipped up in the air until gravity caught it and slammed it back down to the ground. Through the windshield, the driver was sprawled across the steering wheel, bleeding from his head. Venus turned away. She stopped feeling sorry for Yakuza thugs a long time ago.

By now the two Gurentai in the suits had retrieved Glock 18 machine pistols with thirty-three round magazines from their car. Acting quickly as they set to fire, Venus launched another Love and Beauty Shock attack at them. The pair got off three rounds each before the energy exploded into them. Both hoods were thrown back against the building, while the left front end of their car was crumpled back into the wheel well. After casually binding the other Yakuza workers with her Love Me Chain, Venus walked over to the two unconscious hoods. She picked up the two machine pistols between her thumbs and forefingers and distastefully set them on the car hood.

"Superintendent Sakurada?" she said into a cell phone she boosted from one of the Gurentai. "Yeah, this is Venus-Chan. I got a pick up for you folks over on the docks. Although by the sound of the sirens, you may already know about it." She listened to Sakurada's reply. "Yeah, it's good to hear your voice again, too. I'll stop by your office when I get a chance. But if things work out, we're all going to have a new boss in a month and there's a lot of things to do. Bye."

Closing the phone, Venus picked up one of the Glock 18s and looked it over.

"Gotta be some way to get this magazine out of this thing," Venus muttered as she tugged on the straight piece in front of the trigger.

Suddenly the pistol sprang to life, pumping ten bullets into the wall of the building across from her in rapid succession. Venus stared in shock at the weapon.

"Guess that wasn't it," she whispered and carefully set the weapon back on the car hood.

* * *

"No, Your Majesty!" fumed Luna in the Royal Chambers of the palace. "It's a tremendous risk that you cannot afford to take!"

"Luna, what have I ASKED you about calling me . . .!" Serenity ground her teeth.

"And PLEASE do not bring up old subjects that have already been decided," the cat huffed, "YOUR MAJESTY!"

"OHHHH, YOU ARE THE MOST AGGRAVATING CAT . . .!" Serenity stopped when she felt Endymion's hand on her shoulder.

"I have to agree with Luna," he said calmly.

"But I HATE being called 'Your Majesty"!" whined the Queen.

"I meant the part about teleporting to America," Endymion smirked. It was a familiar "Mamoru" gesture and Serenity stopped to enjoy it for a moment.

"But this is really important to Rei!" Serenity argued.

"To Rei or to you?" he asked.

"Well, both! But it's really important to Rei and she's been through so much the past two years! And she's been so depressed since the thaw! And I just know reuniting her with Derek will help her! He's good for her!"

"As fond as I am of Rei, I think she would agree that you have more important things to concern yourself with," Luna suggested. The Queen whirled on her in horror.

"Luna!" Serenity gasped. "Nothing's more important than true love!"

"There's also your health to consider," Endymion added. "That little trip to Fukushima, as important as it was, took a lot out of you. If you push yourself this soon, you may suffer another bout of exhaustion or worse."

"But Endymion, now that I'm in complete contact with the Silver Crystal, I can do so much more!"

"But how much is too much?" Endymion asked. Serenity looked down, crestfallen. "Until we know that, it's probably not a good idea to do too much too soon."

Suddenly Serenity smiled and looked up at her husband. "Then why don't you come with me?" she suggested. "If we combine our energies, the trip won't be nearly as hard!"

"Serenity," Endymion began.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?" and she gave Endymion the pleading eyes. Luna scowled.

"I know what's coming next," the cat sighed and turned away.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, was where Derek Johnson had landed after leaving Japan in early 2013 at Rei Hino's tearful behest. He'd gone to spring training with the Kansas City Royals, but when it was clear he wouldn't make the club, he decided to retire rather than join their Triple-A team. He returned to Oklahoma and got a job coaching youth league baseball. It was fun working with the kids, teaching them fundamentals and staying with the game he loved. A couple of them had even heard of him and when word got around that he'd been a former pro, his word was like the word of God to them. There were certainly worse ways to spend the time. After a while, he began to hate the thought of giving it up. But he had a date with an angel on January 1, 2015.

Then the ice hit.

When he woke up, it was June 30, 2015. Half of Tulsa was flattened. It looked like he and about seventy percent of the town population had survived Armageddon only to face starving to death in its aftermath.

Then, miraculously, the plants grew. And then the little egg-shaped shelters appeared. And occasionally there was a voice that appeared, assuring them that things would be fine. It kind of sounded like the voice of Rei's friend, Usagi, but he knew that was impossible.

That got him to thinking about Rei. But there were no working flights to Japan at the moment. The United States was under martial law and what little aircraft still worked were grounded because flight lanes were restricted to military planes flying emergency aid to the hardest hit areas. So Derek Johnson joined one of the relief crews digging out collapsed commercial buildings and retrieving dead bodies. He couldn't see Rei. He couldn't coach baseball, because the league was suspended and the ball field he coached on was now filled with wheat anyway. And this was important work that also kept him from wondering if Rei was still alive.

Derek was hauling a wheelbarrow full of broken concrete to a truck that would dump it when he stopped and stared. Materializing five feet from him were two Japanese people, a tall man with thick black hair in a grey tuxedo, and a woman in a white gown with butterfly wings in the back and blonde hair running in twin trails down her back. He couldn't be hallucinating, because everyone else saw it, too.

"U-Usagi-San?" Derek gasped. Serenity lit up with a million watt smile.

"Derek! You did make it!" She ran over, leaped up on him and hugged him. Startled, Derek caught her. "How would you like to see Rei again?"

"R-Rei?" he stammered. Indecision caught him for a moment. He wanted to see Rei. But he didn't want to just up and abandon the people here.

But he wanted to see Rei. Serenity was looking up at him expectantly, almost in the way Rei used to do, like she could read what he was thinking.

"Yeah," he nodded numbly. "I guess I would like that."

Serenity beamed. She extended her hand to Endymion. He took it. And suddenly they were in a huge palace with walls of gleaming crystal. Derek spun around and looked in shock and wonder. He turned back to Serenity.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

But before she could answer, Derek heard his name. He turned and saw Rei running up to him. The priest broke from the women she was with - - Derek recognized them as her friends Ami, Makoto and Minako - - and leaped on him, folding her arms around the back of his neck. As he wrapped his arms around her waist to support her, she jammed her mouth to his and kissed him long and hard and passionately. More passionately than he ever remembered her being with him. But the surprise turned to gratitude and he held her and kissed her as the others looked on.

* * *

Yoshiki Morobishi was boss of a Yakuza gang with its headquarters in Shinjuku, but with its reach extending into six other prefects of Tokyo. The disaster had thrown his and everyone else's organizations for a loop, but he landed on his feet. With so many retail outlets damaged or destroyed, there was more of a market than ever for knock-off merchandise his Tekiya division sold and a growing black market for the real goods his Gurentai stole. And with the government in chaos due to the possibility of Sailor Moon assuming control, he had little to fear from the police or the courts. Those on the outside of society felt its collapse least of all.

The phone rang. Some local cellular service had been restored, partly through his own assistance and influence. Morobishi opened the phone and gave a one-syllable greeting. He listened to the message on the other end. His instructions were short and to the point. Closing the cell phone, Morobishi pondered the message he'd received.

Apparently Sailor Moon might be more of a problem than he imagined.

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. What's Right For The People

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 4: "What's Right For The People"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

It had been an exhausting day. Makoto, at the request of Serenity, had spent the day checking on the city's child care centers, making sure that they were up and running and had all of the supplies they needed. Though technically she didn't have any official power, Sailor Jupiter was a known associate of Sailor Moon and her presence and Sailor Moon's name carried enough weight to ferret out and try to resolve problems.

Minako, at the request of Serenity, had put in a long day making personal appearances around the city, visiting repair crews, emergency first responders and hospital workers in an effort to lift their spirits and let them know their efforts were appreciated. Her celebrity made her appearances an event to many of the people she visited and her own personal charm and knack with appealing to crowds gave everyone a lift and a little break from physically pulling Tokyo back from the brink. And while she and Makoto traveled, they also could see how fast the city was pulling itself back together.

Not bad for a month after the disaster. With the country-wide referendum on whether governmental power should be transferred to Serenity and Endymion just a week away, prospects looked good for its passage.

"Yeah, you'd think," Minako said, relaxing in the palace with Makoto and Artemis. She was in front of a computer in the quarters Makoto and her family now occupied. Makoto sat in a chair, repairing one of her son Ichiro's socks.

"Who says differently?" Makoto asked, glancing up from the sock.

"This chatboard," Minako responded.

"It's nice to know some people have time to waste on internet chatboards," Artemis scowled from his spot curled up on the table behind the computer.

"It helps if they're old gossips," Makoto needled.

"Hey, gossip I'll cop to, but who are you calling 'old'?" Minako growled. "Get this one: 'If Sailor Moon was so great, she would have rebuilt my business. Instead I have to do it myself!' Guy probably sold girls' panties to salarymen."

"What's Serenity supposed to do, spend all of her time rebuilding everybody's life for them?" Makoto huffed.

"And listen to this one: 'Sailor Moon let my daughter sit in the hospital for the entire month. Why didn't she just cure her?' Yeah, and put all of those doctors out of work."

"It's hard to say just what the country's feeling are," Artemis commented without uncurling, "since there's no means to accurately poll. Some people are always going to be 'what have you done for me lately'. And some people liked the way the old Diet ran things."

"Yeah, but they were mostly the guys in the Diet," smirked Minako.

Just then Ichiro came in. Makoto motioned him over and presented him with his mended sock.

"Thank you, Mommy," Ichiro said politely. He wandered over to Minako. "Can you get Angry Birds on that computer, Aunt Minako?"

"No Angry Birds," Makoto said sternly. "You spend too much time with those video games."

"Aunt Usagi lets me play," Ichiro protested. "Setsuko-Chan and I play all the time."

"Maybe I need to have a talk with Aunt Usagi," Makoto sighed.

"Like it would do any good," chuckled Minako.

"Boy, Setsuko-Chan really came around. Remember a month ago? She was scared to be in a different room from Serenity. Now she's just a normal little girl. I'd sure like to know how Serenity does it."

"Me, too. It's even rubbed off on Rei. I don't think I've ever seen her this happy." Minako smirked devilishly. "Of course those all-night 'study sessions' she's having with Derek might have something to do with it."

"Hey!" Makoto fussed. "Keep your lewd thoughts to yourself around my kids!"

Smirking, Minako began typing on the computer. Curious, Artemis turned his head and read the post.

"Mina," he scowled.

"What? What did she do?" Makoto asked while Minako threatened to burst from laughter.

"She posted 'Sailor Moon is corrupting my kids. Signed Stay At Home Mom'," Artemis read aloud.

"BLONDIE!" Makoto roared, getting up from her chair. Minako bolted from hers and scooted out of the front door, Artemis scampering after her.

* * *

Prime Minister Hino sat in his office, catching up on the office paperwork. With the country under emergency martial law, Hino was experiencing his first real power since taking office. Directing the recovery was exhilarating. It gave him a chance to do what he did best: lead. And it gave him a chance to make up for the woeful performance the government had turned in after the disaster at Fukushima. Though he hadn't been Prime Minister then, he was just as responsible as anyone in the government at the time in putting self-interest ahead of the public interest.

Lesson learned. Though depending upon the outcome of the ever-nearing referendum, a lesson possibly learned too late. His intercom buzzed.

"Dietman Takahashi wishes to see you, Mr. Prime Minister," his chief-of-staff told him.

"Certainly," Hino answered, then leaned back in his chair wondering what was on the mind of the man second in power in the Liberal Democrat party only to himself.

Takahashi entered and nodded to Hino, then helped himself to Hino's office bar as he always did. The man was tall, thin, distinguished. He had black horn rim glasses, graying black hair and mustache, and wore his expensive suit very well. After pouring himself a vodka, Takahashi took the seat Hino gestured him to. Hino looked at him expectantly.

"Tell me you've got something planned, Hino," Takahashi ventured. "Tell me you've got a back door out of this mess you've put us in."

"I can't claim all of the credit for poisoning the Japanese people against us," Hino replied calmly. "I admit I did my share."

"Come off it. There aren't any cameras around," Takahashi scowled. "Save the performance for the electorate."

Hino just smiled and shrugged.

"You're going through with this?" Takahashi asked. "You're just going to turn over the government to-to some little cookie in a miniskirt?"

"If it's the will of the people," Hino replied.

"Since when has that ever mattered?"

Hino reflected for a moment. "Maybe it should."

Takahashi stared at him. "Is this about the disaster? Did you lose your nerve like Tezawa did?"

"Did you see the crowd that marched on this place? I don't mean from a window in the Diet. Did you look into their faces? Did you see the anger? The loathing?" Hino picked up his pen and began absently rolling it between his fingers. "I got into politics because I actually wanted to make Japan a better place. Not because of the power or the money, though they were both very nice fringe benefits. But I thought I could make things better and go down in history as a great man."

"You did the best you could under very trying circumstances, Hino," Takahashi said. "No one has the right to criticize you."

"They do," Hino replied. "They hated me. They hate all of us. Because who have we looked out for? Ourselves? Our major contributors? Do we govern or do we just chase money?" Hino exhaled. "Do you know my only daughter despises me."

"Hino, if the job's too much for you, step down," Takahashi advised him. "Dissolve the Diet. Call for new elections. Don't flush the whole system down the drain. What does this Sailor Moon know about running a country? And this husband of hers, he's got some pretty wild ideas." Takahashi leaned in. "Do you want to go down in history as the man who let Japan sink into anarchy and chaos?"

"I wonder if that was Hirohito-Dono's thinking when he chose General Tojo," Hino mused. "Takahashi, change is coming. I've seen it. And I've met Sailor Moon. She'll need our help, but she has the best interests of Japan at heart. If the people choose her, and I think they will, the best thing we can do is offer our support and guidance. If you cling to the old ways, you're going to get swept aside."

"You have lost the stomach for it," Takahashi scowled.

"Maybe. I will admit that achieving the prize I sought and sacrificed so long for didn't leave me with the sense of accomplishment I thought I would get. Maybe Oto-San was right. Many times wanting is better than having."

"So what are you going to do? Retire and become a priest?"

"I've got more than enough to retire - - assuming our money is still worth anything in these uncertain times. Maybe I'll teach. Maybe I'll paint. Maybe I'll get the itch again and run for representative in whatever form of government Sailor Moon plans to run." He smiled wistfully. "And maybe my daughter and the spirits of my wife and parents will respect me again. Now that I've come so close to death, those things seem to matter more."

* * *

Ami Fujihara entered the quarters she shared in the Crystal Palace with her husband Hayami. There she found a wonderful meal waiting for her. Hayami came to the door and greeted her. She could see he was taking some pleasure at her astonishment.

"You didn't cook this, did you?" Ami asked as Hayami ushered her over to the table.

"My cooking skills are just a little above the mean," he demurred. "Hardly capable of something like this."

"Then where did it come from?" Ami allowed Hayami to seat her at the table, then watched him sit across from her.

"Don't you recognize the aroma?" Hayami asked, adjusting his glasses. Ami sniffed.

"It smells like some of the dishes Makoto served at her restaurant," Ami concluded. "Did Makoto cook this?"

"Not quite, but she's got her finger print on it," Hayami said. Seeing his wife was about to burst, he relented. "Makoto decided that she was too busy helping Serenity establish her new government to rebuild The Butterfly Palace."

"Yes, she told me as much," Ami nodded. "It was the reason I decided not to reopen my general practice office."

"Well that put all of the cooks and wait staff out of work," Hayami explained. "And Makoto felt bad about that. And Serenity really felt bad about it when she heard it. So Serenity set up a dining hall here in the palace and hired Makoto's staff to cook and serve for the palace staff and residents."

"Just the sort of solution Serenity would come up with," Ami smiled as she nodded her approval. She took a bite of food. "And I see the Butterfly Palace staff hasn't lost any of its ability."

"Makoto wouldn't hear of it," Hayami joked, drawing a laugh from his wife.

"So how is work progressing at the library?" Ami inquired.

"The computer systems are back on line at the main branch," Hayami explained. "Fortunately it was a sturdy building, so damage to the actual stock was minimal. Right now we're concentrating on a couple of the most heavily damaged branches, trying to get them back into shape to reopen. It's been a lot of work, but we hope to reopen them by the end of next month. You?"

"Cases at the emergency treatment centers are down far enough that I'm hopeful they can be closed by the end of next week," Ami reported. "Just in time for the election. If things go according to plan, I hope to talk to Serenity about mobilizing some emergency medical units to airlift into some of the harder hit regions of the world. Reports are still sketchy, due to the unreliable communications network around the globe, but some things I've heard coming out of Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia potentially point to localized epidemics. We've recovered faster than most countries. It behooves us to lend assistance to those less fortunate."

Hayami nodded and they continued eating. But after a few bites, Ami began to slow.

"What is it?" Hayami asked.

Ami frowned. "Have you noticed how little Setsuko is acting?"

"She seems like a normal child," Hayami estimated. "Bright, energetic, fascinated with everything. She's really taken to Makoto's two kids and they to her. I suppose she's a little shy around strangers, but that's to be expected. Why?"

"Because a month ago, that child was suffering from deep traumatization manifesting in intense separation anxiety," Ami told him. "Given what she had experienced, that was to be expected. What hasn't been expected is the rapid recovery she's made from that trauma."

"You think it's unusual?"

"I think it borders on unlikely. Unless some external force is acting upon her, such a recovery would be quite improbable."

"Well young children can be resilient," Hayami offered.

"Resilient is one thing. A complete reversal of behavior in a month's time?"

"Maybe it's Serenity's presence," Hayami shrugged. "She does have a remarkable affect on people. I have to admit that I feel better every time I'm around her."

Ami nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, Serenity would be the most likely external force." She absently chewed a carrot. "The question is how much."

* * *

"I hope we don't come to regret this," Endymion murmured to his wife.

The potential future king and queen of Japan walked down a street in the former business district of Azabu-Juuban. The rubble of the former shops had been cleared away, leaving mostly empty lots, a rarity in old Tokyo. Here and there construction had started on new buildings. Here and there were people.

"Well, I just had to get out of that palace," Serenity sighed. "I've been cooped up in there for a month. I want to see how things are faring." She looked at the empty lots. "Not as well as I'd hoped."

"It takes time," Endymion assured her. They continued walking until they came to the spot where Naru Osaka's mother had housed her jewelry shop. Serenity stared at the site where her old friend had breathed her last. Her lip quivered.

"Let's go somewhere else," Serenity choked out.

Grasping Endymion's hand, she teleported them to a residential neighborhood. All of the homes were a uniform egg shape. Fruit and vegetables grew randomly from the yards. But this neighborhood had something the business district didn't have: people.

"Hey, it's Sailor Moon!" cried one of the children playing in the street.

"Sailor Moon!"

"It's Sailor Moon!"

Quickly Serenity and Endymion were surrounded by children ranging from four to fourteen. They all clamored around her, touching her, greeting her, trying to attract her attention. Rather than be overwhelmed, though, Serenity chose one little girl of nine and knelt down in front of her.

"Hello," Serenity said sweetly. "What's your name?"

"Miyano," the girl replied, awestruck that the famous Sailor Moon would speak to her.

"Are you doing all right?"

The girl shrugged. Just then another girl patted Serenity's shoulder to get her attention. She was a girl of seven and looked very sad.

"Sailor Moon," the girl inquired hopefully. "Can you bring back Masami?"

"Who's Masami?" Serenity asked, while Endymion stood back and feared the worst.

"My cat," the girl sniffed. "A wall fell on her and Oto-San said she died."

And everyone in the crowd was amazed to see the famous Sailor Moon horrified by the story. She reached out and pulled the little girl to her, hugging the child. They saw the genuine anguish in her face. Adults were looking on now and they could see her anguish, too.

"Please bring her back," the child begged. Serenity held the child at arm's length.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I can't."

"Why not?" wailed the child.

"I'm not a god," Serenity replied softly. "I'm just someone who can do a few things."

The child began weeping. Endymion sensed some of the crowd turning on her.

"What's your name?" Serenity asked.

"Akio," the child sobbed.

"Akio, I can see how much you loved Masami and how much you miss her," Serenity told the child. "I lost loved ones in the disaster, too. And I miss them every minute. I can't bring Masami back to you. But you know what YOU can do?"

Akio shook her head.

"Somewhere out there is a cat who has no one. But if you take that cat into your heart and love that cat just as much as you loved Masami, you'll be doing so much to help it. Now this will never replace how you felt about Masami and it's not supposed to. But you can fill that empty spot in your life by helping another cat who needs you desperately. You'll make its life so much better. And you'll have so much love in your heart, there won't be any room left for the hurt. And Masami will rest easier knowing that you're happy again."

The child hung her head. Finally she nodded. Serenity leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. And some of the crowd nodded in approval.

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. A Matter Of Trust

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 5: "A Matter Of Trust"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

In an office in the palace she was given by Serenity, Ami Fujihara was reviewing health statistics for Tokyo before and after the disaster, looking for trends that could be encouraged or stemmed depending on the trend's impact. Serenity had sounded her out about managing the country's health care should she be anointed Queen and Ami had readily agreed. There were certain aspects of the Japanese health care system that she hoped to modify to make them more efficient. A knock on the door drew her attention back from her statistics.

"Mr. Johnson," Ami said, inviting Derek Johnson into the office. The towering athlete entered cautiously and took the seat she offered.

"I know you Japanese like to be formal as a matter of respect," Derek demurred. "But could we just make it 'Derek'?"

"If it makes you more comfortable," Ami replied. "Please call me Ami. Was there something you wished to speak to me about?"

"Well," Derek hesitated and Ami figured it was a medical problem that he was embarrassed to discuss with a strange doctor, or a woman. "Can I ask you something about Rei? I mean, you've known her longer than I have."

"Rei?" Ami replied, surprised. "Certainly."

"Have you ever known her when she was in love?"

"Well," Ami said cautiously. "There was a period when she was infatuated with a man named Yuuichiro. I don't believe it was that serious. And she has unconsciously dropped clues that she was drawn to someone else, though she was very stubborn about not revealing that person's identity. I got the impression that she felt a relationship was impossible. Other than that, the only time I can say she was genuinely in that situation has been around you."

"Then you don't know what she's like when she's in love," Derek concluded.

"Has she been behaving uncharacteristically?"

Derek searched his thoughts. "For her? Rei's always been very strong-willed. For as long as I've known her, she always had a set core of beliefs and she wouldn't move off of them. And if you violated one of those beliefs, she'd let you know. If you said something she didn't think was right, she'd give you an argument. It never got hostile," and he smiled sheepishly, "well, it didn't always get hostile. If you gave her a good argument, she could respect your opinion, even if she thought you were wrong."

"That sounds like the Rei I've always known," Ami remarked. "Has that changed?"

"Yeah," Derek replied. He seemed shaken by it. "She's - - flexible now. Too flexible. Like she's afraid of saying the wrong thing and scaring me away. And it seems like everything she does is calculated to make me happy, or make herself important to me." He examined the statement he just made. "At first I thought I'd hit the lottery. But the more time I spend with her, the more I realize that - - she's not the same. She's not the same person I knew when I left last month - - um, I mean, in 2013."

Ami considered her next statement. "Derek," she began, "Rei suffered a trauma during the disaster."

"You mean when she was in prison," Derek interjected.

"You know about that?"

"Rei told me about it. About her being Sailor Mars. She said she didn't want to have any secrets from me. Is that it?"

"Victims of physical and psychological torture and prolonged detainment can suffer from feelings of insecurity or paranoia. They can also overcompensate when they acquire something or someone that makes them feel secure," Ami explained. "They fear losing that security and can go so far as altering their personality to guard against such a loss. Given the symptoms she was exhibiting since the thaw, it's likely that Rei is suffering from such a psychological response."

"So what do we do? I liked the old Rei." Derek smiled at his next thought. "She was a challenge. She was exciting." His face fell. "She's so docile now."

"I'm not a licensed professional in psychology," Ami advised him. "But I can speak with her if you like. What you tell me concerns me as well. Rei is a very dear friend and if I can do something to help her, I'd like to try."

"Let me know if there's anything I can do," Derek offered.

* * *

"Come in," Serenity waved to the group of people at the front door of the Crystal Palace.

Several members of the Diet, led by Momoko Momohara, had expressed an interest in speaking with Serenity in advance of the election. They were encouraged by Serenity's enthusiastic response and were further gratified by her invitation to the palace. Although once inside the crystalline structure, more than one of the politicians began to wonder about the personality of someone who lived in such a gaudy structure and could reputedly do almost anything now.

"It was a gift from a dear friend," Serenity explained, almost like she'd sensed the thought. "I couldn't hurt her feelings by saying 'no', even though it's really bigger than I need. And it's a good thing I can levitate, because covering the ground between our living quarters and the front door is A HIKE!" Serenity escorted the five representatives into a room where a young girl with black hair was playing with a board game. She gestured for the visitors to sit down, then came over and sat next to the child. "This is Setsuko-Chan. I sort of adopted her."

"A very nice gesture," one of the Dietmen stated. But he stopped short when Serenity began playing the board game with the girl.

"Go ahead. I'm listening," she told them.

"We," Momoko began tentatively, "just wanted to assure you that you have our support when the people vote to alter the constitutional government into a constitutional monarchy."

"If they do," Serenity said, watching Setsuko move her board piece. "Oh, now you're out in front of me!"

"I think they will, Sailor Moon," Momoko assured her.

"That's why we wanted to visit with you, Sailor Moon," another of the Dietmen said. "This is a huge step. Transferring power from an elected representative body to a centralized monarchy will alter a great many things. The very way this country runs will be affected."

"It doesn't have to be," Serenity smiled. "We'll keep what works and change what doesn't."

"And who is to decide what doesn't work?"

"I suppose Endymion and I will," she replied. "But if we make a mistake, I'm confident you'll let us know." She moved a game piece on the board. Setsuko immediately spun the pointer to see how far she could advance.

"Sailor Moon, I have to inform you that there are interests opposed to this transfer of power," one of the Dietmen said, fighting back his irritation at her dividing her attention between them and a child's game.

"Another score for you! Oh, Setsuko-Chan, you're so good at this game!" Serenity exclaimed. "They'll come around. And even if they succeed in convincing enough people that this isn't a good idea, I'll still use my power to protect everyone. After all, I never really wanted to be Queen in the first place. If I do become Queen, I'll try as hard as I can to be a beneficial ruler for everybody. But I won't stalk off in a huff if I don't."

"That's very gratifying to hear," another Dietman told her. "Japan needs a popular central figure to rally around. You clearly are that figure." He hesitated. "I just wonder about some of the ideas your husband is proposing. They might be considered a little - - radical - - by some factions of this country."

"I trust Endymion implicitly," Serenity said gently. "And he only has the best interests of everybody in the country at heart. I know change is difficult for people when what has benefited them might be affected. But I have confidence in his ability to see the right path for us."

Setsuko's head was resting against Serenity's chest. She glanced down at the girl and smiled.

"You'll have to excuse me," she said, gently rising from her chair. "I have to put Setsuko-Chan down for her nap now." She bowed to them and then glided out of the room.

"I don't think she grasps the entirety of this situation," one of the Dietmen remarked. Momoko remained silent. She trusted Sailor Moon. It was some other people involved in the situation she didn't trust.

* * *

Later that evening, Sanoko Narita knocked on the front door of the Crystal Palace, using the ornate brass door knocker that was on it. It was the fourth time she had knocked. Part of her wanted to give up and go home, but she resisted. After all, this was the first chance she'd gotten to visit her boss and find out if she was still employed.

Spending fifteen days in the hospital because of the injuries she'd suffered from the disaster had kept her from checking with Usagi-Sempai. Then there was the process of returning to her apartment and salvaging what she could. Though Sailor Moon had repaired her apartment building, the contents were a lot of broken furniture. Fortune had smiled on her by sparing her art table and brushes, but the rest of the apartment was trashed. Then she had to fight with the rental company because she'd missed her rent payment by being in the hospital and therefore unemployed. They wanted to evict her. Fortunately they relented. Then there were "other things" that had kept her away until now.

Doggedly, she rapped with the door knocker one more time. And just like that, the door opened.

"SANOKO-CHAN!" Serenity squealed happily and swallowed the artist up in a bear hug. "I'm so glad to see you! Come in! Come in!"

"I would have been by sooner, Chiba-Sempai, but I had to deal with a lot of things," she explained, pushing her short black hair behind her ear.

Serenity glared peevishly at her and pointed sternly.

"Sorry," grinned Sanoko. "Um, is it still Usagi?"

"It can be if it's easier for you. I don't mind," Serenity replied gently. She grew uncomfortable. "I - - imagine this is kind of unexpected."

"That you were Sailor Moon? And that you might become Queen?" Sanoko related. "Uh, yeah." The pair strolled through the gigantic lobby of the palace and began ascending the stairs to the second floor. "What was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"Being Sailor Moon."

"I don't know," Serenity answered. "It's not like I felt any different when I was Sailor Moon. I just could do more things - - help more people. It's the same way now. I don't feel any different being Serenity. I know I am different, but that just means I can help that many more people."

On the second floor, Serenity peeked into a room. Sanoko saw a slim woman with long cascading black hair caring for a four year old girl, a boy of six and a girl of ten. In the ten year old's arms was an infant. The boy and the younger girl were playing video games.

"Hi, Auntie Usagi!" Akiko smiled. The other two didn't look up from their game. Yoriko waved.

"Oh, Akiko, you look so motherly with that baby in your arms," Serenity cooed. "It reminds me of when Mako-Chan was carrying you around like that."

"OK, Auntie Usagi," Akiko responded, rolling her eyes. Yoriko laughed.

"That was my brother's wife, Yoriko, and their daughter, along with Akiko and Ichiro. They belong to Mako-Chan." Serenity puffed up with pride. "And the younger girl is Setsuko. I adopted her." They strolled down the corridor. "So how have you been getting along?"

"Well," Sanoko grimaced. "That's one of the reasons I came to visit. I was wondering if you're still producing 'Fire Princess Rika'. I'm running a little short of funds and I didn't have any insurance to cover the things I lost, so I really need the work." She looked away with embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed," Serenity told her. "You want to know something? I've got an entire chapter and a half waiting to be inked."

"You do? When did you find the time? You've been so busy restoring the country and saving everyone!"

"Drawing is something I do for me as much as to provide an income," Serenity smiled. Then she grew a guilty look. "Although I will confess that I only actually DREW a third of the pages. When I didn't have the time to actually sit down and do more than rough layouts, I just used my power to make the finished pencils appear."

"You can do that?" goggled Sanoko.

"Yes," Serenity replied. "But it's not as satisfying." She stopped short and Sanoko stopped with her. "I don't even know if Kodansha is still publishing!" Sanoko looked at her funny and Serenity grew uncomfortable. "I forget things like that."

"I guess you're still good old Usagi in some ways," chuckled Sanoko. "Got a phone in this place?"

"I've got a better idea," Serenity said impishly.

She took Sanoko's hand. To the woman's surprise, she and Serenity began to levitate into the air. They passed through the roof of the palace as if it were mist. Looking down, Sanoko saw they were flying over the top of Tokyo's office district. Many of the taller office buildings, built to withstand Japan's earthquakes, were still standing. Sanoko would glance at Serenity, unable to believe this was happening. Serenity seemed like she was having the time of her life. Approaching the office where Kodansha was housed, the two came down, passed through the outer wall, and landed in the office of Shinrou Baishaku, the editor of "Nakayoshi".

"Forgive our abrupt entry, Baishaku-San," Serenity said, bowing to him. "I just wanted to find out when my deadline was."

Baishaku just stared in shock.

* * *

Sitting on a balcony of the Crystal Palace, a view of the Tokyo Bay harbor in the distance, Derek Johnson sat and contemplated where his life was. Over on one side of the view was the majestic image of the Tokyo Dome, which had survived both the ice disaster and being commandeered for an emergency medical facility in the early days of the disaster. Derek reflected on all the days he spent in that stadium, playing for the Yomiyuri Giants and performing for the adoring fans. And one fan in particular.

Nuzzled next to him was that fan, Rei Hino. He glanced down at her and found a contentment in her face that he couldn't ever remember seeing there before the disaster. Her contentment suggested that she had found her place in the universe, that place being snuggled up next to him with his arm around her. It was a dream he'd had many times.

But now that it had happened, it seemed wrong. And that bothered him, because Rei felt good against him. She was warm and soft and inviting, and suddenly he didn't miss baseball as much. But it wasn't her. It was like she was clinging to him instead of snuggling next to him. What had they done to her in that prison? Her fire was at low ebb and he missed that. He missed the challenge in her eyes and the set of her jaw when they debated something she felt strongly about. She was docile now, like the tigers he'd seen in the zoo.

"Rei," he began, stroking her black hair gently, "you mind if we talk about what happened to you in that other dimension?"

"Why?" she asked in a subdued voice.

"I guess I want to help," he told her. "I figure if you talk about it, you might be able to deal with it better."

"I was in prison," Rei said emotionlessly. "It was harsh and lonely. They beat me and degraded me." She cuddled closer to him. "I'd just as soon forget it. It's over now."

"You sure?"

"It's over."

"Because you always seemed a lot more," Derek pressed on, "spiritual before. Like this preacher I knew in Oklahoma. Normal guy in every way, except you could tell he was touched by God. Couldn't tell you how. But there was something about him, something spiritual, that told you he was different from regular folk."

Rei continued to rest against Derek's chest.

"You were like that too, once," Derek continued. "Before. And it got me to wondering if maybe you want what happened to you to be over, but it's not. If you're still carrying it."

Rei popped up and stared at him.

"You don't have to carry it alone," Derek told her.

"That," Rei beamed happily, "is so sweet of you!" Her violet eyes danced. "Let's get married!"

"What?"

"Let's get married!" Rei repeated insistently. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you! I want to be with you forever!"

"Where did that come from?" Derek asked.

"Say yes!" Rei gasped and began kissing him. "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"

"Rei! Hold on!" Derek stammered and held her at arm's length. Suddenly Rei's euphoria crashed.

"You do love me, don't you?" she asked fearfully.

"Yes," he assured her. "I do love you. But . . ."

"YOU DO LOVE ME!" she squealed and bear hugged him. Derek wrapped his arms around her to support her.

There were worse fates than being married to a beautiful, deep, spiritual woman that he had really come to adore. But more and more he was beginning to suspect that this was no longer that woman.

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. Abuse Of Power

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 6: "Abuse Of Power"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Thank you for meeting with us, Sailor Moon."

Dietman Jinro Takahashi and six of his most trusted colleagues sat in a room in the Crystal Palace while Serenity poured them tea. She was not what any of them expected.

"Well, I thought I should, if only to make up for not meeting with you earlier when Endymion addressed the Diet," Serenity replied. "I really did have something important to do, but it was still rude of me."

"Yes," began one of Takahashi's juniors, Dietman Akita. "Did you actually make the Fukushima plant launch into space?"

"Somebody had to do something," Serenity replied innocently, "and I seemed like the most qualified. It sounds immodest, but it is true." She took a seat around the small table she was entertaining them at and began nibbling on a cookie.

"That attitude, while praiseworthy in its spirit of civic-minded generosity," Takahashi interjected, "is why we're here. This whole business of taking control of the government . . ."

"Well, that really wasn't my idea," Serenity grinned sheepishly. "The people wanted me to assume control of the government. And if that's the best way to help them, then I guess I'm obligated to do it. Assuming the ballot issue passes, of course."

"Yes, um, Sailor Moon," Takahashi said. "Government is very complex and it's something best left to people with experience in government."

"I'm willing to take advice from anyone and everyone," Serenity replied. "I never claimed to know everything. But if the people want change, and I have the power to change things faster than a parliamentary body through enacting a benevolent monarchy, then shouldn't I do that for the benefit of all?" Serenity smiled self-consciously. "I'm quoting Luna there."

"Luna?" Dietman Akita asked.

"She's my cat."

The Dietmen glanced at each other.

"But is it a good idea to entrust the lives and well-being of the citizens at large and of the nation itself to a well-intentioned neophyte pushed into overthrowing our form of government by a vocal minority?" Takahashi argued. "Sailor Moon, you've been a great asset to Japan and her people. But perhaps the best way you can help the people of Japan is to remain their guardian and leave leadership to those trained to lead."

"I'll let the people decide," Serenity replied gently. "If they want me to be their guardian, I'll be their guardian. If they want me to lead, I'll lead. My goal isn't power or prestige. My goal is peace, and however I can best achieve that goal is what I'll do."

"How do we know that?" Dietman Saito demanded. "How do we know you won't just overthrow the government anyway, no matter the result of the election? You admit you have the power."

"But," Serenity answered, aghast, "I would never do that!"

"An expected response," sneered Saito. "Don't think you can just steam roll us. We'll fight you, any way we can."

"Please don't do that," Serenity requested timidly. And a change came over Saito's face. It went from righteous anger to seeming shock at his words and demeanor. The man shifted uncomfortably on the sofa two seats down from Takahashi.

"A-All right," Saito replied, chastened, his eyes seeking the floor. Takahashi stared.

"You don't have anything to fear from me," Serenity told them sweetly. "I only want what's best for everyone. I only want peace."

The visiting Dietmen began nodding and murmuring amongst themselves. Takahashi looked at them in amazement. Just how powerful was Sailor Moon if she could inspire such a change in attitude from people Takahashi had counted on as solid supporters.

Inspire, he wondered, or induce.

* * *

"I really don't think this is necessary," Rei fussed.

Sailor Mercury sat at a table in a conference room she had adopted as her examination room in the palace. She was in her Sailor Mercury identity because she needed her senshi computer to do what she wanted to do. That is, if she could get Rei to cooperate. The priest was standing by the door. She had ignored the offer to sit and she seemed ready to leave at the first word from Mercury she didn't like, which was typical Rei when she didn't want to do something. At least that part of her personality hadn't changed.

"Rei, I'm," Mercury replied cautiously, "concerned about the long-term effects your imprisonment may have upon you. Psychological scars and traumas aren't things to ignore or tough out."

"I'm fine, Mercury," Rei maintained patiently - - more patiently than Mercury was used to. "It was something I never want to experience again, but I'm not crippled by it." She smiled. "Derek saw to that."

"Has your second sight returned?" Mercury asked point blank. Rei's smile dimmed. "Have you had any dream premonitions? Can you still sense the presence of spirits? You've been in the same room with Yoriko. Can you still sense that she's a yuki-onna?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Rei replied. "Derek's here, and I'm with him, and I'm happy. And I'm going to marry him and bear his children and live to a ripe old age with him, just like Grandpa always wanted for me."

"And if I confided in you that Derek is concerned about your mental health as well?"

Rei grew pale.

"What did he say?"

"That you've changed," Mercury told her. "That he's concerned. He says you're not the woman he knew before the disaster."

Rei sank into the chair Mercury had previously offered her.

"I-I thought he loved me," Rei whispered.

"He does," Mercury assured her. "That's why he's concerned."

Rei steadied herself. "OK. If Derek thinks there's something wrong, then test me and find out."

Mercury opened her computer. "I'm going to first scan for physical anomalies. It's possible that you may have suffered some head injury during the beatings you describe. If we eliminate that as a cause, then I can try to help you come to terms with the residual feelings left over from your . . ." Mercury stopped in mid-sentence. Rei noticed she was staring at the computer screen.

"Did you find something?"

"Your brain has been altered at the cortical synapse level," Mercury reported.

"You can tell that?" Rei asked.

"I have brain scans of all the senshi stored on my computer," Mercury explained. "A comparison of scans makes the alterations obvious. And it would certainly explain your different behavior."

"But how did the Sons of Ymir do it?" Rei asked. "I don't have any memory of any kind of brain surgery. And they didn't use any sort of supernatural force on me."

"I doubt a primitive by choice society such as theirs would have the scientific capacity," Mercury replied. "And why resort to beatings and chains if a simple spell could induce docile behavior? Logically there's nothing to indicate you were altered by them."

"Then who?" Rei demanded. Mercury grew a sick expression on her face.

"I pray I'm wrong," she said, emotion soaking her voice. Mercury got up, gently brought Rei to her feet, and led the woman out the door.

Serenity was in the Royal Chambers, with Endymion, Luna and Setsuko. Serenity was reading the child a story from a children's book she had salvaged from her room at her late parents' home. It was a book she had adored as a child and had saved all through her teens. Now she was sharing it with Setsuko. Endymion and Luna would glance happily at the pair, then go back to discussing plans for the new government should the impending election go their way. A knock interrupted things. Endymion opened the door and Mercury escorted Rei inside.

"Mercury?" Serenity said anxiously. "Is there trouble?"

Mercury paused, frowning, searching for the best way to start.

"Serenity," she began, "have you been using your power to make Rei feel differently?"

Everyone looked at her except Setsuko, who traced the picture in the storybook with her finger. For her part, Serenity seemed confused.

"You mean did I make her happy?" Serenity asked.

"So you did use your power on her," Mercury concluded. "What exactly did you do?"

"Well," Serenity began, flustered by the grave concern Mercury was exhibiting. "Rei was so depressed by what had happened to her. She was anxious and blaming herself for not being able to escape, for having to endure everything she endured, for not putting up more of a fight."

"She told you this?" Mercury asked.

"Actually, I sensed it," Serenity replied. "I can sense things like that now. I could sense how much she was hurting. So I made her forget - - not what happened, just how badly she felt about it. So she wouldn't suffer anymore."

"Has something happened?" Endymion asked.

"I did a brain scan on Rei," Mercury told him. "Her cerebral cortex has been altered."

"Is that bad?" Serenity asked anxiously.

"Serenity, you altered part of her brain!" gasped Mercury.

"But she's so happy now!" Serenity argued. "Rei was so miserable before! I just wanted to make her happy!"

"By violating her memories? And without her permission! To actually invade an organ of the body, in this case the most important organ of the body, and remove or alter that organ without the knowledge and permission of the person - - that is beyond unethical!"

"Now, now," Endymion interceded, standing between Mercury and Serenity and easing Mercury back.

"But I was just trying to help!" wailed Serenity. "I have so much more ability to stop people from suffering . . .!"

"The ability to do something does not give you the tacit right to do it!" snapped Mercury. A thought occurred to her. "Did you alter Setsuko, too?"

Serenity just looked down, on the verge of tears. Setsuko looked up at her, anxious because her Usagi-Mama was so emotional.

"Your Majesty, how could you?" Luna gasped in alarm.

"I'm sorry," Serenity whimpered.

"Can you undo it?" Endymion asked, calmly and rationally. The question indicated he thought what she did was wrong, though his tone forgave her.

Her lip trembling, Serenity brought her hand to Setsuko's head. It glowed silver. The child's face scrunched up and she began crying. Without asking, Endymion brought Rei over to her. Ashamed to look at her friend, Serenity held her hand to Rei's temple and exposed her to the silver energy.

And Rei's face grew more angry with each passing moment.

"I'm sorry," Serenity choked out. Endymion had taken Setsuko from her and was trying to comfort the child.

"Sorry?" Rei's voice trembled. She wanted to say more. She wanted to do more. But out of respect to their years of friendship, Rei finally just stood up straight, turned and walked out. Mercury went after her. Serenity doubled over and began openly weeping. Mercury caught up with Rei at the end of the corridor.

"Thank you for figuring out what happened, Mercury," Rei choked out, standing by the entrance to the shrine.

"For what its worth, I don't think she was malicious in her intent," Mercury offered.

"Neither is a child playing with matches," Rei scowled. Her lip began to tremble. "But you know - - I was happy. Maybe it was just emotions Serenity planted in my head. But I was happy. Happier than I've been in a long time."

Rei disappeared into the shrine, leaving Mercury to recall and lean on the adage that sometimes the best cure for a condition is a bitter tasting medicine.

* * *

At a construction site rebuilding a block of storefronts in a commercial section, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus stood in the construction trailer and watched the proceedings. At least Jupiter was watching the proceedings.

"Want a towel for that drool?" Jupiter asked as she kept watch on the construction site.

"Tell me he's not gorgeous," Venus replied as she kept watch on one of the construction workers, a broad shouldered young man with white hair named Yoshiharu Kuzawa.

"Hey, I'm married," Jupiter responded.

"Hey, I'm not," Venus shot back. "And you of all people should appreciate the 'chiseled from stone' type, married or not."

"OK, he's hot. Happy? Can we get back to work? The tip said that it would go down around this time."

"Relax. I can spot these Yakuza drips just from the scent of their pomade," boasted Venus. "There they are now."

Striding up to the foreman were two men in their mid-twenties. Their suits were expensive. Their hair was thick and slicked back. Their glasses were dark. And there was an outsider's disdain and a strong man's arrogance to them. The foreman spotted them coming and his face grew stern.

"Change your mind about hiring the workers we represent?" one of the Gurentai asked confidently. "They're hard workers and very skilled."

"I've got no use for your workers," the foreman replied with disdain.

"That's not what I heard," the Gurentai said. "I heard you've been having problems with absenteeism. It's hard to stay on schedule if your workers don't show up for work."

His partner rumbled, "That won't be a problem with our workers. They're very dedicated."

"Not interested," the foreman reiterated.

"You sure?" the Gurentai smiled. "The problem could get worse. A lot worse."

"Yeah, you don't want to stand in the way of Sailor Moon's great recovery, do you?"

"Somehow when you guys say it, it sounds like an insult," they heard Jupiter say. Turning, the two hoods saw Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus emerge from the construction trailer.

"Hey, we're just having a conversation here," the lead Gurentai replied.

"How about we have a conversation," Venus shot back. "At the police station."

"For what? Talking?"

"For those two guns under your jackets," Venus smirked. "Which is still illegal in Japan."

Instantly the two hoods reached inside their jackets. As they produced their guns, the foreman lunged out of the way so as not to be hit by gunfire.

"Supreme Thunder!" roared Jupiter.

Lightning lanced down from the sky to Jupiter's tiara lightning rod, then shot out and connected to the metal guns in the hands of the two men. It traveled through the guns into them. The pair shook helplessly in the grip of the electricity, then sank to the ground unconscious.

"Call the police, Venus," Jupiter said. When there was no response, she turned. "Venus?"

She found Venus talking to Yoshiharu Kuzawa.

"Venus!" Jupiter shouted.

"I knew you had it handled," Venus alibied. She turned back to the construction worker. "So, handsome, you married?"

"Subtle," Jupiter thought.

* * *

In an office in Shinjuku not far from the Diet Building and the Prime Minister's residence, Yakuza head Yoshiki Morobishi poured Saki into a porcelain cup intended for his guest, then poured some into another cup for himself. Placing the bottle on his desk, he scooped the cup up and held it aloft for a few moments as a salute of honor to his guest.

His guest, Dietman Jinro Takahashi, took his cup in his hand and returned the gesture. The pair drank simultaneously. Morobishi placed the cup on the desk and studied his guest for a few moments.

"Is it good?" Morobishi asked tonelessly. He knew the answer, for he acquired only the best. But he intended to use the answer to judge his guest's mood.

"Yes, Morobishi-San," Takahashi replied evenly. "I expect no less from you. We have had a beneficial relationship over the years and your Saki is one of those benefits."

"A relationship that might be coming to an end?" Morobishi probed. He like everyone in Japan knew of the upcoming referendum. "If Sailor Moon is going to be queen, she's not going to need a legislature."

"I doubt it. We'd probably only get in the way," Takahashi replied. "Even if she retains the Diet, it will be only for show. She'll either pack it with supporters like Momohara or just control their minds and turn them into her sheep."

"Control their minds?" Morobishi asked without showing too much concern. "She's never demonstrated any ability like that before."

"She's not the same as before," Takahashi said. "Before she was a useful distraction, occupying the attention of the masses so the Diet could do its work without scrutiny and showing up during a crisis to do the heavy lifting. Before she was just some living embodiment of some anime 'magical girl'." He paused and considered his next statement. "Now - - it's like she's two steps below a god."

"And a god is going to want to run things," Morobishi concluded.

"And how do you say 'no' to a god?" Takahashi added.

"I sympathize, Takahashi-San," Morobishi exhaled. "Her followers, the Senshi, have been stepping up actions against the clans. We've all had several major 'business opportunities' hampered or ended by their actions. It doesn't set well with the clan members and it's beginning to cause the Oyabun to lose face." He poured more Saki. "But how do you say 'no' to a god?"

He offered one of the cups to Takahashi.

"Morobishi-San," Takahashi began, "I've helped you in the Diet to ease your path. You've helped me in the campaign to get things done. You have connections valuable to me. I have information valuable to you. Each of our actions benefits us both."

"Perhaps you know of a way for us to continue to benefit from each other?" Morobishi inquired after downing his Saki.

"The referendum is going to pass. I have a sense for these things now and I can feel it," Takahashi declared. "There is only one way to avert the coming change in government. The god must die. The question now is do you know someone who can do the job?"

"Perhaps," Morobishi replied unemotionally. "Let me make some inquiries. After all, such an outcome would be in my best interests as much as yours. But if we're going to slay a god, we can't afford to miss."

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. For The Opposition

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 7: "For The Opposition"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

In a hospital room in Niigata, Junko Tenoh sat in her bed practicing writing with a large pencil that a first grade student would use. The hard casts on her arms and chest had recently been replaced by splints and she was now free to build the strength back up in her arms. But the frustration at not being able to make a single digit without her arms shaking made her grit her teeth. She had been practicing for several days now and her control wasn't getting any better.

"Don't worry," her father gently advised her. "It'll come."

Her father had, with some exceptions, been by her bedside for the past three weeks. He sat with her. He read to her. He watched television with her when the broadcast networks came back on. He fed her while she was in the hard casts and wiped her chin when she was free of the casts and tried to feed herself. Gert Tenoh doted on her like a parent who had come perilously close to losing a child. He also doted on her like an old man who didn't have anything else.

"Yeah, but when?" Junko exclaimed. "I didn't write this badly when I was five."

"Actually, you did," Gert smiled, one of the few times he smiled anymore. "But you got better then. You'll get better now. Your arms have been inactive too long. You need to build up your muscles again." For a moment he seemed like her old dad.

"I could say the same about you," Junko replied. "You sit too much. If you don't give your legs more exercise, one of these days you won't be able to get up out of that chair."

"I'm an old man," Gert sighed. "It's too late for me."

And he lapsed back into the melancholy that had been his mood for much of his stay since he arrived from Tokyo three weeks ago.

"Dad," Junko ventured. "Are you up to talking about Mom now?"

A look of immense sadness crossed his face and Junko immediately regretted bringing it up. But then he sighed with resignation.

"What do you want to know?" he said softly.

"Did she suffer?"

Gert exhaled. "I hope not. When I woke up, I looked for her. She was laying on the kitchen floor. I tried to wake her up," and he paused to let some emotion pass, "but she was gone."

"I still can't believe it. I'm never going to see her again," Junko mused. "What are you going to do, Dad? Going to go back to the bank?"

"I suppose," Gert said unenthusiastically. "When you're well."

"They going to let you do that?"

"I think they will," Gert said. Then he shrugged. "If they don't, I quit."

"Dad," Junko fumed impotently.

"You don't worry about it," Gert told her. "You just get well."

Gert noticed that Junko was looking at the door. He glanced over and saw Haruka and Michiru framed in the doorway. Scowling, he pried himself out of his chair.

"I go make some calls," he grunted.

"Dad, you don't have to go," Junko told him. But Gert shuffled out of the room. He didn't speak, look or acknowledge the couple and they didn't acknowledge him. Junko frowned. "Honestly, I don't know which one is more stubborn: You or him."

"You," Haruka replied. "You won't get it through your head that this bridge has been burned." She sauntered up and glanced at the sheet of paper in front of Junko. "You're getting better. I can tell what the numbers are supposed to be now."

"Bite me," Junko shot back. "How do you put up with her, Michiru?"

"I married her for her looks," Michiru responded. "What's the prognosis on your injuries?"

"Well it doesn't hurt to breathe anymore," Junko reported. "Doctor says I get the splints off in two weeks and two more weeks of physical therapy after that. I'm hoping I'll be done with it before classes start in September - - if classes start in September."

"I saw the campus on the way up," Michiru nodded. "A lot of it held up. I wouldn't worry."

"So have you voted yet?"

"I'm not registered up here," Haruka shrugged.

"Haruka!" gasped Junko. "This is only the most important change in our governmental system since the end of World War II!"

"I'll take what comes," Haruka replied. "If they want Dumpling as their queen, OK. If not, I'll live with the old system."

"Don't be too hard on her, Junko," Michiru smiled. "Haruka was occupied with other things and hasn't really thought about the referendum."

Realizing the implications of that statement, Junko glared impatiently at her older sister. Haruka returned her stare unapologetically. There were things to her that were more important than politics and government.

* * *

Rei heard the door of the shrine slide open and then shut. Someone was seeking enlightenment she really didn't feel like giving. But the priest went to see who it was, because ever since Knorr she really didn't feel like being alone for prolonged periods.

Entering the outer room, she found Serenity.

"Rei," Serenity offered contritely. "I'm sorry about what I did. How can I make it up to you?"

"I'm not sure you can," Rei replied, looking away.

"Rei, don't be like this!" Serenity pleaded.

"Me? You altered my brain," Rei shot back with animation she hadn't shown since returning from the other dimension, "WITHOUT TELLING ME! And you don't even realize what you did! You come in here begging forgiveness like you missed a lunch date!"

"I do understand," Serenity told her contritely. "I was wrong. It's just - - getting so easy to use this power. I figured as long as I was helping someone, what did it matter if I asked permission."

"Well that's something you have to remember now," Rei stated firmly. "Because you're above us all now. Maybe not in here," and she pointed to her head, then to her heart, "and maybe not in here. But that crystal makes you as far above us as we are to a fly. You can't afford to be 'impulsive Usagi' anymore. And we certainly can't afford it. Not if you're going to lead an entire country. And not if you're going to be that woman we met in the thirtieth century."

And a sensation flashed through Rei's mind. It was a sense of Serenity's deep remorse and her overwhelming fear that she'd lost Rei as a friend forever. It was like her second sight had blinked back on and then receded to wherever it was hiding. But was it her second sight? Or was it something Serenity had planted in her mind, like her sudden and overwhelming desire to marry Derek had been planted? She just couldn't be sure.

"I will, Rei!" Serenity said, suddenly lunging forward and grasping the priest by the shoulders. "I'll learn! I swear! Just please forgive me! I don't want to lose you! Not as a friend or a senshi or an advisor or . . .!"

Serenity still touching her, Rei seized up rigid. Her eyes bulged and her mouth parted in horror. Scared, Serenity snatched her hands away and put them to her mouth. Gradually Rei relaxed. She sagged against a wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor, her arms limp and trembling.

"I'm sorry," Serenity sniffed. Turning, she glided forlornly out of the shrine.

Rei absently brought her hands up to her throat. She sat there for a few moments, trying to gather her strength back. Swallowing several times, the priest brought a shaky arm up and engaged her senshi communicator.

"M-Minako?" she whispered into the device.

"Rei?" came the report. "What's wrong?"

"I-I need to speak to you."

* * *

From his office in the Diet, Jinro Takahashi had been making calls, trying all the last ditch efforts he could think of to avert what his political senses were telling him. If what he suspected was right, this could be his last day in office. He was doing all he could to avert that.

"Let me put you on hold, Kaioh-San," Takahashi said into his phone. "I'm being paged by my assistant." He paused for the response. "Very well. But this is a serious matter. I'd like to know I can count on your support."

Frowning at the response, Takahashi disconnected and pushed the button to connect with his assistant.

"Hideki Akutsuki wishes to see you," the assistant told him. Hideki Akutsuki was the CEO of Rising Sun Telecommunications, a major government contractor for decades and one of Takahashi's close associates. Takahashi buzzed him in eagerly.

"Akutsuki," Takahashi rose and greeted the man. Akutsuki was fifty-nine, with gray hair and a gray mustache, thick black horn-rim glasses resting on a flat, drawn face, and pinched eyes behind the thick lenses. His slight frame was draped in a gray suit. Usually confident and controlled, the man now seemed nervous.

"Is it going to happen, Takahashi?" Akutsuki asked anxiously. "Are we going to just hand the government over to this magical girl?"

"Not if I can help it," Takahashi assured him.

"Can you help it?" Akutsuki demanded. "I've heard the speculation. The people are either enchanted by her celebrity or her charm, or they're disenchanted with the government. How can you say she won't be Emperor tomorrow - - or Queen or whatever?"

"What do you think I've been doing here? I've pulled in every favor, done everything I know to do to sway this referendum our way." Takahashi leaned back. "And even if it does go against us, it's not the end of the world."

"Not the end of the world?" demanded Akutsuki. "I've heard some of the proposals this 'Endymion' has been floating about re-examining government purchasing procedures, breaking long-standing relationships, eliminating amakudari! Rising Sun depends on those government procurements! We're heavily invested in this! The loss of even one of those contracts would be a severe blow, particularly now when we have to expend so much in repair and maintenance on our production facilities because of the disaster!"

"Akutsuki," Takahashi tried to calm him.

"Don't forget that you're as heavily invested in this as I am!" Akutsuki continued. "You've profited as much as I have from these government partnerships! I've contributed heavily to your party! I've given cushy jobs to more than one of your losing and retiring candidates! You need to do something!"

"A wise man doesn't try to fight a hurricane," Takahashi replied. "A wise man takes steps to insure that he's still standing after the hurricane has passed. Rest assured, it's handled, Akutsuki."

"How?"

"Do you really want to know?" Takahashi asked him.

"Yes," Akutsuki nodded firmly. "This is my future I'm gambling with, and the future of my company. If the game has been rigged, I want to know which number to bet on."

"Do you know Yoshiki Morobishi?"

Akutsuki scowled. "I have to deal with his Sokaiya at every board meeting. That parasite is going to bleed me dry some day." He grew serious. "How is Morobishi involved in this?"

"I've contracted with him to make certain that Sailor Moon's reign as queen is a short one," Takahashi said bluntly.

"So it's come to that?" Akutsuki scowled.

"You're not opposed to it, are you?"

Akutsuki exhaled. "I suppose it's her or us. I hope you can rely on this Yakuza thug, Takahashi."

"I think so," Takahashi replied. "Killing is one of the things the Yakuza is very proficient at."

* * *

"And in the referendum to decide whether Japan continues as a legislative democracy or reverts back to a monarchy, the vote tally so far is still a lead for the monarchy," reported the anchor at the network news desk. "Vote counting has been hampered by unreliable communications in parts of Japan, particularly in the northern prefectures, owing to as yet incomplete restoration of utilities and facilities damaged in the ice disaster of one month ago."

"What's to decide?" howled Minako as she paced back and forth behind a sofa in the palace. She and the other senshi were gathered in a room furnished with amenities to make the room a social gathering place for the palace residents. In addition to the senshi, Makoto's family and Ami's husband were present, as were Luna and Artemis. Even Rei had emerged from the shrine, though she seemed depressed and edgy. Derek was with her and she was nestled next to him.

Conspicuous by their absence was Serenity, Endymion and Setsuko.

"Not everyone is comfortable with a return to a centralized monarchy," Ami responded. She sat next to Hayami, her glasses pulled down on her nose to view the wide screen television they were all watching.

"Yes, what looked to be a victory by acclamation just one month ago," a television political analyst stated on the television, "is a lot closer now. It seems to be an indication in my opinion that the country has had a chance to step back and realize all the benefits they receive from a legislative democracy. In my opinion, this is a sign that there is a large segment of the public that is reluctant to vote those benefits away."

"Or they're reluctant to invest so much power in one individual," added a second commentator.

"Yeah, like the Diet has done such a great job," muttered Makoto. Ichiro was asleep and resting against her right hip, while Akiko struggled to stay awake on her left.

"Well, with a democracy, you can always theoretically vote out poor or unresponsive governments," Hayami offered up. "With a centralized monarchy, your only means of redress is revolution. I imagine a lot of people are influenced by that corollary."

"And for me, the only question is do you trust the Diet or do you trust Sailor Moon," Makoto answered. Then she shook her head. "Serenity. Gods, I keep calling her Sailor Moon!"

"That's one more yen in the kitty," Sanjuro smiled and tapped her on the arm. Makoto made a face at him.

"With most of the returns from the major urban areas counted, the pro-monarchy side holds a four percent lead over the pro-democracy side," the newscaster reported. "This is closer than expected, leaving the rural areas to possibly decide the issue. We go to Yumi Nagoya in Yamagata for a report."

Minako had eased up to Rei. Rei was watching the returns with some visible anxiety.

"Sorry if this is a rude question," Minako murmured to the priest. "But have you felt anything? Seen anything?"

"No," Rei said, glancing down.

"Don't try so hard," Minako offered. "The harder you swing, the more likely you'll strike out. Just relax and do it."

"Sounds like something I'd say," Derek commented. Minako grinned.

"My Dad's a baseball freak," Minako replied. "I heard stuff like that a lot when I was a girl."

Minako noticed both Ami and Makoto looking at her with a serious expression. Careful not to let Rei notice, she gave them both a helpless shrug. Makoto nodded and returned her attention to Akiko. Ami frowned, but nodded and turned her attention back to the returns.

Noticing Artemis pecking on his computer, Luna eased up next to him. She rubbed her chin against his, then peered at his screen.

"That's the Election Ministry's central computer," she said. Everybody turned to him.

"Just trying to get the up to the minute returns," the white cat told them. "The delay in the network feed was getting to me."

"Not trying to 'fix' the results?" Minako jabbed.

"Of course not, Minako," scowled Artemis.

"Then what good are you?" Minako asked. Artemis shook his head wearily. Then something grabbed his attention.

"Returns are coming in from the north!" he gasped. Everyone's attention was riveted on him. As they waited, Endymion and Serenity entered. They all could see that Serenity was very subdued.

"Results are looking good," Artemis said. He pressed a couple of keys. Then he smiled broadly. "These are enough to project a monarchy victory."

Minako pumped her fist. Makoto hugged her husband and daughter. Ami merely nodded in satisfaction. Rei, though, seemed even more troubled. They all looked to Serenity.

"I'm sorry," she said gravely, eyes cast to the floor. "I can't accept it."

"What?" Makoto gasped. Everyone, even Endymion seemed surprised by the statement.

"I won't accept it," Serenity repeated. "I-I'm not worthy. I don't deserve to have that much power."

And she turned and fled the room.

"And with key precincts in the north reporting in," the newscaster reported, "we are now projecting a victory for the centralized monarchy side of the ballot referendum."

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. A Crisis Of Confidence

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 8: "A Crisis Of Confidence"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"I won't accept it," Serenity repeated. "I-I'm not worthy! I don't deserve to have that much power!"

And she turned and fled the room.

"What?" Makoto gasped. She, Ami and Minako all started for her. "Serenity, wait!" But Endymion held up his hand.

"I'll handle it," he said, emotion tinging his voice. Then he disappeared out of the room in pursuit.

"What was that all about?" Makoto demanded of no one in particular.

"She must still feel guilty about what she did," Ami analyzed, struggling to maintain a dispassionate eye.

"Gee, I wonder if she had help with that," Minako commented and glanced at Rei. That led to everyone in the room looking at the priest. Rei didn't shrink from their stares.

"Maybe she shouldn't accept," Rei replied. She didn't seem happy with the turn of events, but it didn't affect her stance.

"Are you nuts?" Makoto shouted. Sanjuro got up and gently restrained his wife. "That's Usagi we're talking about! The best friend any of us ever had! The person we've laid down our lives for! This was what we were all sacrificing for! I took a million low blows from dozens of petty, lowlife conquerors just to get her to this day!"

"She's not just Usagi anymore," Rei responded, her voice low-key like she was still struggling with responding to anger. "She's Serenity, too. Only she hasn't learned how to handle that yet."

"This is still because she altered your mind without asking?" Minako said with astonishment. "She was trying to help you! Get over it!"

"What do you know about it!" Rei snapped, rising to meet Minako nose to nose. "I spent two years in an eight by eight cell with people trying to remold my mind so I'd be a docile little captive! Do you know what that's like? And I no sooner get home then my BEST FRIEND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD is trying to do the same thing to me! Because SHE KNOWS BEST!"

"It's not quite the same thing," Ami interjected with controlled calm. "Agreed, she went about it the wrong way, but the comparison is strained at best."

"And what's to stop her from doing it again?" Rei demanded.

"Now you sound like Michiru!" snapped Makoto.

"Maybe Michiru has a point!" Rei snapped back.

"LADIES!" bellowed Luna. The little black cat gathered herself while everyone looked at her. "The time is quite past for such petty bickering. There is no one in the universe I would trust more with the Imperium Silver Crystal than Her Majesty. She has proven time and again to be equal to the task when all around her have failed. What none of you seem to grasp is the tremendous burden she must shoulder. Aside from the considerable energies generated by the Silver Crystal, and they are more considerable than any or all of you can ever hope to conceive of, she must bring about not only the formation of Crystal Tokyo, but the shift of an entire world's behavior from aggression and selfishness to peace and harmony.

"This is a gargantuan task and she cannot do it alone. That is why you four are here! Your jobs are not just to protect her, but to SUPPORT her. To brace her when she falters and to guide her when she missteps. You cannot do that without believing in her," and she looked directly at Rei. "And you cannot do that by fighting amongst yourselves," and she cast her eyes to the other three.

A thick silence enveloped the room.

"Rei, we do sympathize with you," Ami spoke up, "even if we can't fully understand your pain. Serenity made a mistake. But she needs you. She needs us all. We can't abandon her or the dream is lost."

"I know," Rei sighed. "But it isn't just me being 'grumpy old Rei'. She admitted it herself. It's easy for her to do things like this now - - too easy sometimes. And we have to watch out for that. Otherwise she's going to destroy the dream herself."

"I hear you," Makoto replied contritely. "And I suppose you're right. We do have to keep her from being corrupted by her own abilities." Makoto shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry for flying off the handle at you."

"Wish I could think of a joke to lighten things up," Minako mumbled. "If we're all back on the same page, maybe we should start preparing for that 'other' thing, now that Endymion and Serenity are king and queen."

"Assuming Endymion can talk some sense into her," Makoto mused.

"If he can't, we'll all take a run at her," Minako decided. "Gang up on her if we have to. She never could say 'no' to all of us."

"What's this 'other thing' you're referring to?" Luna demanded.

"I'll fill you in later," Minako replied, warily eying the civilians in the room.

* * *

Endymion entered the Royal Chambers. Serenity was sitting on a sofa in the main room. Setsuko was in her lap, clinging to the woman while Serenity had her arms around the child.

"I thought she was asleep," Endymion said.

"She woke up," Serenity replied, still visibly upset. "She was terrified. The moment she saw me, she ran up and practically jumped into my arms." Serenity held her more tightly. "Endymion, what are we going to do? How am I supposed to run a country when," and she choked back a sob, "when I can't even get poor little Setsuko-Chan to stop shaking?"

"You did it once," Endymion offered.

"By altering her mind," Serenity said contritely. "By invading one of the most sacred parts of her. By changing who she is just to please myself."

"Let's not go that far," Endymion told her softly, sitting down next to her. "You tried to help. People have done a lot less for a lot worse reasons."

"But Rei," Serenity began.

"You didn't ask," Endymion cautioned her. "One of the things they teach you in medical school is that invasive procedures have to be the patient's choice. What if a surgeon didn't operate on a patient with a malignant tumor because he didn't want to cut open the patient to get to the tumor? The patient would die eventually. But it's the responsibility of the surgeon to tell the patient they can have the surgery, risk complications in order to remove the tumor and improve the patient's odds of survival, or refuse the surgery and probably die from the tumor's growth. Because that's a choice the patient has to be free to make. You can't just throw the patient on a table, cut them open, remove the tumor and tell them it was for their own good." He touched her arm. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yes. I understand," Serenity replied softly.

"At the same time, if the surgeon makes a mistake and accidentally disfigures the patient, he can decide to never perform surgery again," Endymion continued. "But a lot of other people in need aren't going to get the help they need."

Serenity's brow furrowed.

"Serenity, you're the only one who can use the energies of the Silver Crystal. You're the only one the people want to follow. And you're the only one who can lead them to that better, brighter future we all saw when we traveled in time. I trust you to lead us there. And all the others trust you, too."

"Rei doesn't."

"Then use that," Endymion advised her. "Let her be your voice of reason. Listen to her if she protests and think about why she's protesting. And if you trust that she's right, follow her advice. You're going to make mistakes, Usako. But we're all here to catch you."

"Usako," Serenity whispered and smiled briefly.

At her gentle urging, Setsuko pulled away from her breast far enough to face her.

"Are you having the nightmares again, Setsuko-Chan?"

The child nodded silently.

"And you're nervous again? And afraid?" Again Setsuko nodded. "Do you remember before, when you weren't afraid? I can make it go away again. But only if you want me to."

Setsuko nodded.

"Are you sure?" Serenity asked. "Aren't you afraid you won't be you anymore?"

"I can't play with Ichiro-Kun anymore. I'm too scared. I don't want to be scared anymore, Usagi-Mama," Setsuko sobbed.

Serenity hugged the child to her. She glanced over at Endymion and he nodded. Then she brought her hand up to the girl's temple. The hand took on a silvery glow.

* * *

Minako and Prime Minister Hino walked up the steps of the Crystal Palace to the second floor residential areas where everyone currently was. Hino had left his two National Security Force bodyguards at the door.

"Sorry we kept you waiting," Minako apologized. "Big palace. Takes a little time to get to the door."

"I understand," Hino replied graciously. "So the famous Minako Aino is one of the Sailor Senshi. Amazing. Which one are you, if I may ask?"

"Sailor Venus," she replied. Then she grinned. "The gorgeous one. Can't you tell?"

"Well, no offense, but I always thought Sailor Mars was the pretty one," Hino confessed. "Since she was Rei. Besides, she always reminded me of my late wife." Hino grew solemn. "I really botched that up. But I'll have time to make amends now, I suppose."

Minako escorted Hino into a conference room. Waiting for him there were Ami, Makoto and Rei, along with Luna and Artemis. Hino glanced over at his daughter. She was ignoring him, but he didn't sense the vicious hatred she usually held for him. It was something he had to explore.

But not now. As usual, his professional life superseded his personal life.

"The results have been certified official by the Ministry of Elections," Hino told the four women. "Japan is now a monarchy. As such, I'm here to discuss transfer of power." He glanced at the door. "It would really be best if King Endymion and Queen Serenity could join us."

"They're having," Ami began in measured tones, "some difficulties at the moment. Perhaps you could outline the procedure to us and we could relay them to the royal couple."

"What sort of difficulties?" Hino asked.

"The sort that are none of your business," Rei said flatly. That was more like the daughter he knew.

"I really need to discuss this with them personally," Hino replied warily, ignoring Rei's response.

"If that's the case," Luna spoke up, "perhaps you should come back at a later time, one that could be - - more convenient to His and Her Majesty."

"T-That cat," Hino swallowed, "talked."

"For a cat treat, she'll stand on her hind legs," Minako quipped. Luna shot her a withering glare while Artemis struggled and failed to keep from laughing.

"That," Ami grimaced, "will have to be explained at another time. As for meeting with Serenity, it can't be now. I apologize. If it is essential to perform the transference in person, we'll have to notify you as to the King and Queen's availability."

"Is something wrong?" Hino inquired suspiciously.

Just then, the door to the room opened. Endymion and Serenity swept in.

"Oh, there you all are! I," Serenity began, then stopped. "Oh! Prime Minister Hino!"

"Sailor Moon," Hino nodded. "Or I suppose it should be Queen Serenity now, since it is official. I just stopped by to congratulate you on your ascension and to discuss transfer of power." He sensed the anxious mood of the room. "That is all right, isn't it?"

"Yes," Serenity replied. "I just had some - - doubts earlier as to whether I could do the job everyone expects me to do. Whether I could adequately handle such power and responsibility." She glanced timidly at Endymion. "Fortunately I was shown where I was wrong. I accept the position of Queen of Japan. I'm going to make mistakes, probably a lot of them. I hope I can count on everyone to show me what to do," and she glanced at Rei, "and what not to do."

"I'm available whenever you need me," Hino offered.

"And you can count on us," Makoto said.

"We're all behind you, Serenity," Ami added.

"Glad to have you back," Minako chimed in. Then she glanced at Rei expectantly.

"I'm glad you see the wisdom of valuing the input of others," the priest said. A cloud between them seemed to lift some.

"If I may suggest, we should arrange for a formal ceremony for the transfer of power," Hino said.

"Is that necessary?" Serenity asked. "I don't want to seem like I'm bragging. And there are the people who voted against the monarchy. They could be insulted."

"Pish tush!" fussed Luna. "A coronation ceremony might be just the thing the people need. Seeing you and King Endymion anointed as rulers would be a grand visual to drive home that you're in power and prepared to lead them to prosperity."

"Uh," Hino stammered, still thrown by Luna talking, "p-precisely. A grand show could be very inspirational to the Japanese public. It might even sway some of the opposition to get behind you."

"When did you hope to hold this coronation?" Ami inquired.

"As soon as possible, I say," Minako exclaimed. "I want to get busy running this joint. Besides, I've got a movie career to resume."

"Would a week from today be too soon?" Hino asked.

"That sounds fine," Endymion told him. "We'll leave it in your hands, Prime Minister."

"Just Hino now," Hino smiled. "I've got to get used to that. I'd better start now." Serenity grasped his hands.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," she told him. "I never actively sought your job."

"It's all right," Hino assured her. "Just never let the power get the better of your judgment."

He glanced at Rei and found her staring at him in astonishment.

* * *

In another part of the palace, Yoriko Tsukino was clearing away the last of the dinner dishes while her husband, Shingo, struggled to feed a very petulant young girl named Mikomi. Again and again he brought the spoon to the infant's mouth, only to have her turn away.

"Come on, Mikomi-Chan, eat it!" he groaned. "Do you know how much trouble I had to go through to get this? Baby food isn't exactly in large supply these days!"

Yoriko smiled. "I told you she doesn't like carrots," the woman told him.

"She reminds me of Sis," snorted Shingo. "Carrots were the only thing she wouldn't eat, and that includes tin cans."

"Ironic that 'Usagi' wouldn't eat carrots," Yoriko chuckled. "You're not going to get her to eat it that way."

"It's all I could find!" Shingo protested. "After everybody thawed out, there was a run on the surviving grocery stores for stuff like baby food. I went to four different stores before I found this, and the store clerks tell me that they don't know when they'll get a new shipment because all the distribution lines are still being repaired." He leaned in close and touched foreheads with his daughter. "Don't turn out like your Aunt Usagi, you." Mikomi frowned and looked at him curiously.

"Let me try something," Yoriko said gently.

She took the bowl, poured some milk into it and then stirred the contents. Then she added a few drops of honey and stirred it again. Replacing Shingo in the chair in front of Mikomi, Yoriko took a small spoonful of the mixture and put it in her own mouth, making sure that Mikomi was watching her. Then she scooped up another spoonful and brought it to the child's mouth. Warily Mikomi took it. When she didn't spit it up, Yoriko scooped up a second helping and offered it. The child ate it more freely.

"Not bad, Mrs. Tsukino," Shingo admitted.

"It was a trick my mother taught me," Yoriko said, then grew melancholy, "a long time ago." Quickly changing the subject, Yoriko asked, "So, how does it feel to be the Crown Prince of Japan?"

"I don't know," Shingo replied. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around Usagi being this larger than life - - whatever she is. Some people might call her a god, but I can't think of someone who couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time a god."

"You don't think she can be an effective ruler?"

Shingo considered his answer.

"I think she'll be benevolent," Shingo responded. "The last thing I'm worried about is her taking advantage of her position. If anything, I'm worried that people will try to take advantage of her. It's always been so hard for her to say 'no' to people. What's she going to do when she's faced with two opposite sides with equally valid cases and she has to say 'no' to one of them? It's going to tear her up."

"That would be very bad," Yoriko nodded, spooning another serving to her baby. "I've really come to adore your sister. She's easily the most remarkable person I've ever met - - and I've met a lot of people." She glanced at Shingo. "Don't feel bad. I never said she was the sexiest."

"It's OK," Shingo grinned. "She was Sailor Moon. She's always had me in the remarkable department."

"But I pray to the gods that she isn't destroyed by this new turn in her life," Yoriko added. "Assuming the gods will listen to someone like me."

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. The Shot Heard Around The World

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 9: "The Shot Heard Around The World"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Coronation Day had arrived. And with it, a day long series of festivals held in every prefect of Tokyo, each one equipped with a giant screen television broadcasting the festival being held in Minato-Ku at the site of the Crystal Palace.

The festival itself had been the idea of outgoing Prime Minister Hino, who reasoned that the people needed something to celebrate and a place to do it. Serenity, after some initial misgivings, became enchanted by the idea. The outgoing Diet faction that supported her, led by Diet member Momoko Momohara, thought the idea grand. Even the opposition, led by Jinro Takahashi, approved of the idea. And of course the Japanese people rarely needed to be talked into a festival. Even those mourning the dead expressed no open opposition.

"No, that's still not the right consistency," Makoto said, hovering over one of the many chefs preparing the latest batch of food for the honored guests of the palace. It was only ten in the morning and already the battery of chefs that had been brought in to cook were on their fourth wave. "Here, let me show you."

"Come on, Makoto," Minako said, grasping the tall woman by the collar of her blouse and dragging her away. "Stop micro-managing everything. These guys know what they're doing."

"Hey, let go!" fumed Makoto. But she was successfully pulled away from the harassed chef. "Don't you have rehearsals or something?"

"What do you think I've done all week?" Minako huffed. "And at great personal sacrifice, I might add!"

"You and that construction worker getting serious?" Makoto asked, her face lighting up.

"Shh!" Minako cautioned. "Not so loud! A 'certain someone' might hear you!"

"I doubt he's even in Tokyo," Makoto grinned cynicallly.

"All the more reason to assume he is," was Minako's retort. Then they both noticed Ami at the door to the kitchen, motioning to them. "What's up, Ami. Mr. Boring put his book down yet?"

"Stop calling him that," Ami sighed. "I wanted to go over the plan one last time."

"Yeah, sure," Minako said soberly. Both of her friends noticed there wasn't a quip.

In a conference room in the palace, the three senshi found Rei already waiting for them. Minako made a point of sitting next to her.

"Luna's got quite a show going," Minako told her. "I'm surprised you aren't doing it, given your experience with these things."

"Serenity asked," Rei sighed. "I - - just wasn't up to it."

"You're not still mad at her, are you?" Makoto asked.

"Mad?" the priest whispered. "I'm not happy with what she did - - but I'm not mad. I suppose."

"You suppose?" Minako repeated. Rei glanced at her. "You know, what Serenity did was wrong, no question. But I got to tell you, you were a lot more fun after she did it."

"Excuse me," Rei bristled.

"I think Blondie's trying to say that you're not getting better," Makoto ventured. "Maybe you need to get some help. If you don't trust Serenity, somebody else."

Rei frowned, but she wouldn't look at anybody.

"OK, back to business," Minako interjected. "Any more visions?"

"No," Rei sighed. "Just the one, and only because I was in direct contact with Serenity and only because we were both in emotional states. The attempt on her life will be today. The shot comes from below - - in the crowd." Her lip trembled. "I - - can't see whether it hits. But it was so close, I don't see how it could miss. It was like the bullet was traveling in slow motion."

"And Rei's visions aren't wrong, except when they're abstract warnings," Ami picked up the conversation. "Which is why I devised the plan. Recite it back, please."

"I thought I graduated high school," groused Minako.

"It's important that we approach this problem in a manner that takes advantage of the facts we know in advance," Ami reiterated sternly.

"Once my set is done, I get into disguise and mix in the crowd, looking for the shooter," Minako sighed.

"I'll be working the crowd from the food booths, also looking for the shooter," Makoto repeated.

"I'll be mingling, too," Rei added. "Hopefully I'll get an impression of something. But I can't guarantee it, Ami."

"Do your best. These actions are all just attempts to decrease the odds of the shooter escaping," Ami told them. "Since we're operating under the assumption that the shot will get off, that's where the rest of the plan comes into play. When Serenity and Endymion are coronated and make their address, they will have reflectors behind them, ostensibly to act as light baffles for the television coverage. In reality, they are disguised mirrors. The audience will think Serenity and Endymion are on the balcony giving their address. In reality it will be their reflections and they will be inside the room, safely out of harm's way." Ami allowed herself a breath, the weight of events wearing on her. "Any questions or comments?"

"Sounds like a plan," Minako replied. "A little devious bait-and-switch theater. You know, it really scares me that you can actually be devious."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Ami answered. "Anyone else?" Everyone shook their heads. "Good luck, everyone."

As they left, Minako heard Makoto say to Ami, "I thought you didn't believe in luck."

"As a psychological means of boosting morale and inspiring confidence?" Ami responded. "It has its uses." Makoto chuckled and Minako found herself smiling as well.

* * *

Masashi Soriyama was a Tekiya, a member of the local Yakuza gang who specialized in rigged festival games. He had been doing it with the Yakuza's blessing for thirty years now. Masashi ran a cork shooting game. The object of the game was to take an air rifle with a cork in the muzzle, aim at a prize and shoot. If you knocked the prize off, you won that prize. It was a very popular game, with prizes ranging from a box of tissues to a state of the art video game console.

What the contestants didn't know was that a piece of cork would have to be propelled by an authentic rifle to generate sufficient force to knock down the more valuable prizes. The best an air rifle could do was knock over the smaller, cheaper prizes. Hey, Masashi couldn't help it if the general public was ignorant about the physics of aerodynamic propulsion. He certainly wasn't going to tell them. After all, he made a comfortable living doing this and ninety percent of the public never caught on.

Things had been hard in the first month after the disaster. A lot of the venues he had previously set his booth up in were too damaged to host festivals. The ones that weren't hadn't scheduled any because the country just wasn't in the mood. Then Sailor Moon and her husband were made king and queen and everything changed. And this festival had been a rousing success so far. It was like the entire country was breathing a sigh of relief and having a day of fun. They certainly needed it, and the money Masashi was pulling in would more than make up for the lean previous month. If this was a sign of things to come, the gods had surely blessed Japan by making Sailor Moon head of state.

Masashi glanced over at the other man assisting in the booth. Masashi didn't know the man's name. He only knew that the man was an assassin who planned to use his booth as cover and a vantage point to shoot Sailor Moon when she was crowned. The thought of Sailor Moon being killed disturbed him. The thought of his booth being used for such a thing really disturbed him. Being involved in a complaint to the police over a rigged game was a business expense. Being involved in murder was something Masashi really wanted no part of.

But when your Oyabun tells you to do it, you did it. Tekiya were eminently replaceable.

* * *

"No, Serenity, you can't do it!"

Ami got the reaction she was expecting: Watery blue eyes and a protruding lip not unlike a four year old child. And this woman was about to become queen of Japan.

"But Amiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" whined Serenity, sounding like the Usagi of old. "It's the first festival for little Setsuko-Chan! It would mean so much to her! Especially now that she can enjoy it!"

"I'm not saying she can't go," Ami explained patiently. "I'm saying you and Endymion can't accompany her."

"But it's a milestone in her life!" Serenity exclaimed, genuinely upset. "I want to be there! I want to see her experience everything for the first time! Your first festival is always your best one! I want to be a part of that!"

"I sympathize, Serenity," Ami offered. "But you are under an assassination threat."

"I'll be careful!" Serenity pleaded.

"Absolutely not," Ami stood firm.

Serenity was about to protest further, but Endymion leaned in and gently pulled her away. Serenity turned to him and looked up at him, her eyes tearfully pleading with him to intercede on her behalf.

"I'm sorry," Endymion told her. "Ami's right. You're a target. We both are. Besides, as famous as we both are now, we'd be mobbed the moment we set foot on the grounds. What kind of festival would that be for Setsuko-Chan?" Serenity let her head fall against her husband's chest.

"This is why I didn't want to be queen," she groaned, tears trickling down her face. "So what do we do? I don't want to deny this experience to Setsuko-Chan."

"I'll take her," Rei volunteered, her voice still leaden with depression. "You're right, Serenity. She should experience festival."

"Thank you, Rei," Serenity replied timidly. "Please tell me - - all about it."

A melancholy silence hung in the air.

"Serenity," Rei began tensely, "you've got the power to enter the deepest part of someone's mind. If you want, you can," and Rei swallowed, looking down uncomfortably, "well, tune into my mind. See through my eyes. That way you can experience Setsuko-Chan's first festival and still be safe."

"Thank you, Rei," Serenity said, clearly touched by the gesture. "I promise I'll just look. I won't tamper with anything!"

"I didn't think you would," Rei replied, and the hint of a smile grazed her lips. "But it's gratifying to hear you say it."

Serenity, Endymion and Rei adjourned to the suite where Makoto and Sanjuro lived. Akiko and Ichiro were preparing for the festival. Setsuko was sitting on a chair playing a video game. Sanjuro came over and knelt down beside her chair.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Sanjuro offered. "We'd be happy to have you."

"That's OK, Sanjuro-Obasan," Setsuko replied, splitting her concentration. "Usagi-Mama will take me."

"Are you sure? She's pretty busy."

"Usagi-Mama will take me."

Sanjuro stood up. The child was a lot more adjusted than she had been, that much was clear. But her dedication to Serenity was as tenacious as anything he'd ever known. In a way, it rivaled his wife's dedication to her. The doorbell rang and Sanjuro answered it. There he found Serenity, Endymion and Rei.

"Usagi-Mama!" Setsuko exclaimed and abandoned the game, running up and hugging her. The girl's arm reached out and caught Endymion around the knees. "Are we going to festival now?"

Serenity knelt down to her. "I'm sorry, Setsuko-Chan. I can't. Your father and I have to stay in the palace." The child's face fell. "But the last thing I want is for you to miss festival. Would it be OK if Rei took you?"

The child looked up at Serenity. "If you say so, Usagi-Mama." It clearly wasn't what the girl had hoped for, but everyone was struck with the maturity of the child.

"Thank you," Serenity said and kissed the girl. "Now let's get you a proper yukata."

Serenity's hands passed down either side of the girl. Amid a shower of sparkling particles, the girl's clothing changed into a brightly patterned yukata, complete with purse. Setsuko's eyes lit up.

"Oooh! Thank you, Usagi-Mama!" cooed Setsuko. She hugged Serenity again and the queen engulfed the girl in her arms.

"Auntie Usagi, can you make me one, too?" Akiko exclaimed. She and Ichiro were standing next to Sanjuro.

"What's wrong with the one you've got on?" Sanjuro asked his daughter.

"It's not magic, Dad!" she replied, looking at him as if he were an imbecile.

* * *

The crowds were enormous. It was almost like the entire prefect of Minato-Ku had come to see Sailor Moon be coronated. Of course it wasn't true. Rei knew that. Not everybody was happy with the outcome of the referendum. But still, the crowds were the biggest she'd ever seen for a festival.

Before the disaster, that would have bothered her because the cacophony of thoughts and impressions would have overwhelmed her second sight. She didn't have to worry about that now. And crowds made her feel safe now. Two years of loneliness in a damp dungeon will do that. Just then, Rei felt a tug on her hand.

"Can I have taiyaki, Hino-Sensei?" Setsuko asked. And Rei suddenly remembered her first festival at the shrine of her paternal grandfather. She was holding her mother's hand and the aroma had just captured her. And her mother smiled at her so sweetly. And her grandfather, standing over to the side as he monitored the food booths, gave her a paternal grin. And it tasted so wonderful that she made sure to have a taiyaki every time she attended a festival, and even at the ones she ran. Rei bent down to the little girl that reminded her so much of herself just then.

"Of course, Setsuko-Chan," Rei replied, even managing a smile for the girl. "What's festival without taiyaki?"

Rei bought two, one for each of them. She watched as Setsuko sampled it and watched as the child's face lit up. Then she tasted hers and the familiar sensation made her forget her depression for just a moment. And she felt Serenity in the back of her mind watching through her eyes and hoped her friend could feel what she was feeling.

"Setsuko-Chan," Rei began as they both nibbled on their taiyaki. "Your Usagi-Mama helped you forget, didn't she?"

"Yes, Hino-Sensei," the child replied, her enjoyment of the pastry momentarily dimmed. "I asked her to."

"You did?" Rei asked.

"It was better than the nightmares," Setsuko added, frowning at the very memory of them, even though she couldn't really remember what they were about anymore.

"So you're happy now?" Rei asked. The girl nodded. "But are you really happy? Can you be sure that your Usagi-Mama didn't just tell you to be happy?"

"I guess I can't," Setsuko concluded. "But I trust Usagi-Mama. She wouldn't hurt me. And it's better than being scared all the time."

"I'm sorry for bringing you down, Setsuko-Chan," Rei softened. "How about I buy us some candy, too." She smirked. "But don't eat too much or you'll end up as fat as your Usagi-Mama." Setsuko giggled and the sound made Rei feel good. Then the sound system covering the festival grounds came on.

"Citizens of Japan," Prime Minister Hino announced. Rei pointed Setsuko up to a second floor balcony on the palace. Hino was standing there with Endymion and Serenity. "Both here and watching on television and streams. By referendum you have spoken and I am here today to carry out the wishes of that majority." He motioned Endymion forward. "With the last vestige of my authority, I name you Endymion, First King of Japan."

A cheer went up from the crowd, followed by applause. Endymion bowed to Hino, then to the audience of the festival. Hino then motioned Serenity forward.

"And in recognition and gratitude for all you have done for us," Hino told her, "and in hopes of the glorious future you will lead us all toward, I name you Serenity, First Queen of Japan."

And the crowd went nuts. Rei had Setsuko in her arms so the child could see. As Serenity shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, embarrassed and unable to quiet the crowd so she could say a few faltering words of gratitude, the priest felt a tear trickle down her cheek even as she wore a wide grin of satisfaction. Disputes were in the past. The love she felt for this woman washed everything else away.

Then a moment's premonition flashed through her, a sensation familiar to her but one that she had recently been unable to reach. Rei turned to her left and saw a cork gun booth. On the booth's right, sticking out of the booth between the frame and a curtain, was a rifle barrel. Rei's henshin stick appeared in her hand, but she remembered her vision and knew she would be too late.

Amid the roars of the audience, the rifle fired a single shot. The bullet pierced the mirror masquerading as a light baffle. The image of Serenity broke into a spider web of fractured glass. Already Sailor Jupiter was advancing on the cork gun game, the shooter pinpointed and Serenity protected just as Ami had planned. Setsuko still in her arms, Rei transformed to Sailor Mars. A senshi was needed now, not a broken priest.

Recognition of what had happened had finally dawned on the hushed audience. Their reaction was unplanned for, but hardly unexpected. The crowd panicked. Sailor Mars felt the mass of humanity surge around her and she clutched little Setsuko to her protectively. People screamed. Children began crying. Chaos was everywhere. Shoving panicky people out of the way, Jupiter engaged her tiara and struck the assassin with a bolt of lightning that stopped him in his tracks.

"Setsuko-Chan!" Mars heard someone scream over the din. She looked up and saw Serenity standing exposed on the balcony in front of the splintered mirror. Then the newly minted Queen levitated up into the air and came down onto the grounds amid the stampede of humanity. "Please, everyone calm down!" she pleaded. "Setsuko-Chan!"

Mars tried to wave to her, but it was all she could do to keep them from being swept away with the crowd. Serenity frantically searched the tidal wave of humanity. Finally she threw her hands up into the air and began to glow silver. That was when a man behind her pulled a pistol from his waistband. Mars' eyes grew wide. She tried to use one of her attacks, but there were too many people in the way.

And then it was too late. The man fired.

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. Why

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 10: "Why"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Events seemed to play out in slow motion. Endymion leaped from the balcony. He'd seen the gun in the hands of the man who had been lingering just below, the gun pointing at Serenity's back. Serenity, her hands still raised and glowing silver, was turning toward the gunman, though how she could possibly know he was there was a mystery. Her silver energy was having some effect on the stampeding festival crowd. There was no longer any danger of more people being trampled. Sailor Mars couldn't steeple her fingers to use her attacks because that would mean letting go of Setsuko and risk the girl being swept away by the still nervous and skittish crowd. She produced a ward, but knew it would be too late.

The gun fired. The bullet sped toward Serenity.

And then it halted inches from her. The slug quivered in the air while Serenity brought a dainty hand down. She reached out and plucked the lead missile from where it was suspended, then closed her hand around it. A gasp of awe arose from the crowd.

The gunman stared in amazement. But he quickly recovered, attempting another shot. That's when the swing of a sword blade cleaved the pistol in half. Startled, the gunman fell back two paces. The sword came up and pointed at his throat. The gunman followed the blade back to the hilt. Holding onto the hilt was Endymion, his grey tuxedo exchanged for black armor. And he was not happy.

"Endymion," Serenity said gently. "Don't hurt him." Endymion flashed a glance at her, then returned his glare to the second assassin. By then, Mars and Setsuko had made their way to her.

"Mama!" Setsuko cried out fearfully. Serenity bent down to her and the girl leaped up into her arms. She cradled the child to her, then looked at Mars.

"He was behind you!" Mars exclaimed in amazement. "How did you know?"

"You saw him," Serenity smiled. "I was still experiencing what you saw." Astonishing, and yet completely obvious now that she explained it. Mars allowed herself to breathe again.

Serenity turned and, still carrying Setsuko, glided up to the assassin. Setsuko gave him a suspicious, sidelong glance, but Serenity looked him squarely in the eye.

"Why?" she asked. For a moment, looking into those liquid blue eyes, he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything.

"I want a lawyer," the man replied, his expression hardening.

Then Mars approached him. She stood before him and looked directly into his face. Though he tried to hide it, the act seemed to unnerve the rough looking man. He looked away, but his gaze returned. Mars' never wavered. It seemed like her violet eyes were trying to look into his very soul.

But after a time, Mars broke eye contact and looked away. She scowled and expelled a frustrated breath.

"I got the other one!" Jupiter called out. She approached them, shoving another man ahead of her while firmly grasping his collar. The man had the typical look of a street tough, but was sporting several welts on his face and one eye was closed from the swelling bruise around it. Mercury was converging from another direction and several Tokyo police officers, led by Superintendent Natsuna Sakurada, were forcing another, less tough-looking man forward.

"He looks considerably worse for the wear," Mercury assessed.

"He's lucky I didn't break his neck," Jupiter rumbled angrily. Then she cuffed the back of the other assassin's head. "Out with it! Who hired you?"

"I'm not saying anything," muttered the man. Jupiter cuffed him again.

"HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CLOSE THE OTHER EYE?" she snarled.

"Jupiter," Serenity said and shook her head when Jupiter looked at her.

"I'll talk!" Masashi Soriyama exclaimed. "I didn't want to be any part of this! They made me . . .!"

"Quiet!" the battered thug said sharply.

"It's not hard to connect the dots," Sakurada spoke up. "I recognize Kujima and Daikuroda both. They're both members of the Yakuza gang that operates out of Shinjuku. That's the gang headed by Yoshiki Morobishi."

"Morobishi?" Venus said, approaching close enough to hear. "I know his bunch. My record label has been after them for years for distributing pirate copies of my albums. We must have really stepped on their toes if he's resorting to this."

"The possibility also exists that this was a contract hit," Sakurada added. "Morobishi is suspected of being a broker for such things. We've just never had enough evidence to charge him."

"Of course, we really don't need it now, do we?" Venus smiled. She turned to Serenity and Endymion. "You're both the absolute rulers of Japan now. You really don't have to abide by the Constitution. You can bounce Morobishi and his two goons here right out of the country if you choose. Screw a trial."

Serenity looked to Endymion. Endymion silently passed the question back to her.

"It seems wrong," Serenity shook her head.

"You've got the power, Serenity," Jupiter said. "And it's not like they deserve mercy."

"DO IT!" called out several in the crowd. "THEY TRIED TO KILL YOU! THEY DESERVE IT!"

"But do I have the right to just punish them without giving them a chance to defend their actions?" Serenity asked them. "Just because I have the power, doesn't mean I always have the right to use it." To one side, Mars beamed her approval.

"We'll take them into custody, um, Queen Serenity," Sakurada told her. "We'll wait for your decision on how to proceed."

"That's fine. Thank you," Serenity replied. She turned to Endymion and handed Setsuko off to her husband. "In the mean time, perhaps I need to seek out this Morobishi-San and find out what can be done to alleviate this problem."

"Serenity, that . . .!" Mercury began to advise her. But Serenity didn't answer. She had levitated into the air and was gone.

* * *

"Well, they certainly handled that," Michiru stated. She and Haruka were watching the coronation on the television in the visitor's room at the University Hospital in Niigata. In order to keep the peace, they had arranged a visiting schedule with Gert Tenoh so each party could visit Junko during her convalescence. It was done only at the urging of Junko and the hospital staff.

"Dumpling's something, isn't she," Haruka marveled. "Our little girl has grown up."

Michiru gave her a wry smile. "Took her long enough." The woman checked her watch. "It's about time for your visit with Junko. She's getting out today, right?"

"Soon as they can finalize the paperwork," Haruka nodded as they both rose. "Which means they'll probably be still working on it next week." They headed for the room. "Glad Junko's getting out. She really had me scared there." Haruka shrugged to establish her macho image. "And Dumpling probably needs us to keep a lid on this 'Great New Society' of hers anyway."

"No one will hear how scared you were from me," Michiru responded indulgently. "My lips are sealed."

"Sealed with a kiss," Haruka added and playfully kissed her.

When they arrived at the hospital room, they found Gert being the doting father and Junko being the tolerant daughter who wanted to establish her independence and yet kind of liked being doted on. Upon noticing them, Gert's mood changed and he pried his shaky frame out of the chair. Leaning over to kiss his daughter, Gert then straightened and shuffled to the door. But at the door, he stopped Haruka from entering.

"A word please?" he asked distastefully. "Out in the hall?" Suspiciously, Haruka followed.

"Now what did I do?" the tall blonde grunted.

"If there is anything you want from home," Gert began, then corrected himself. "From where Mama and I were living, get it. I'm selling the property."

"So where are you going to live?" Haruka asked.

"Here in Niigata," Gert responded. Haruka gave him a questioning look. "I want to be near my Junko."

"Hey, look, one of the reasons Junko went to college was to be on her own," Haruka argued. "She wants to be able to do her own thing, be her own person."

"I let her be her own person," Gert muttered. "She is grown up, I admit it. But she is still my little girl and she still needs her father from time to time."

"She doesn't need her dad hanging over her shoulder."

"I won't bother her. I just want to be there in case she needs me."

"Gert . . ."

"She's all I have left," Gert choked out. There was a sense of desperation in his voice.

"She wouldn't be," Haruka replied coldly, "if you and Mom had been a little more understanding."

Gert looked up at her, his gaze hardened. "What's wrong is wrong. There's nothing to understand." Then he looked down and became an old man again. "Anyway, I told you. I'm going to retire and live here in Niigata. What you do with that information is your affair."

And he shuffled off down the hall. Haruka stared after him and prayed that she would never, ever be that broken and infirm. Entering the room, she found Junko and Michiru waiting expectantly.

"Did he tell you?" Junko asked.

"Yeah," Haruka said. "He's retiring up here because there's nothing left for him in Tokyo. You OK with that? You're the one who's got to put up with him."

"It was surprising, but I understand why he's doing it," Junko told her. She exhaled from the burden of it. "He looks so lost. I hate it that Mom died, but I really hate what it's doing to him."

Out of sympathy for her, Haruka grasped Junko's hand. The young college student clutched it tightly.

* * *

In a very lavishly furnished home in Chiyoda, at a very expensive desk in a very expensive personal office, Yoshiki Morobishi was on the phone. Two "assistants", men in dark, well-tailored suits and slicked back black hair, waited for him to finish his call. Near the door, Morobishi's wife, a still handsome woman in her forties with shoulder length black hair and an expensive dress, waited with their fifteen year old son, a sturdy youth with thick black hair and the navy blue jacket and gray slacks of a private academy in Chiyoda.

"You missed!" roared Jinro Takahashi over the phone. "Your men missed!"

"Then we'll try again," Morobishi calmly replied. "Some targets are tougher than others."

"Assuming she'll let you!" Takahashi exclaimed. "And what if this gets out? What if I'm implicated?"

"No one will learn anything from my end," Morobishi frowned. "Did you want to call it off? Because you'll pay either way."

"Maybe I want to contract with someone else," Takahashi replied.

"That's your choice."

"But what about the publicity? Sakurada's involved now, too! I can't risk a scandal!"

"If you stay calm and let your attorney speak for you, Sakurada can't touch you," Morobishi advised him. "But if you panic like you're doing now, you'll fall right into her hands. As for Sailor Moon . . ."

And on that note, Serenity materialized through the ceiling and came to rest in the center of the room.

"We'll talk later," Morobishi said over the phone. "Something's come up."

Morobishi's wife and son stared in shock. The two assistants drew automatic pistols from under their jackets. But a wave of Serenity's hand caused them to evaporate into the air. This caught Morobishi's attention. Momentarily awestruck, the two Gurentai recovered quickly and charged Serenity. Emitting a sigh of frustration, Serenity turned and pointed at the two men. Their charge came to a stumbling halt. Each one sank to the floor where they stood, sitting cross-legged with contented grins on their faces.

"Morobishi-San," Serenity said with deep seriousness. "We need to talk."

"Shiho," Morobishi said to his wife. "Take Kakeru out and close the door behind you."

"But," the woman began anxiously. Their son was still staring in awe at Serenity.

"I'll be all right," he assured her. "Sailor Moon is famous for not hurting people." After his wife complied, Morobishi turned to Serenity. "What did you wish, Serenity-Hime?"

"Why did you try to have me killed?" Serenity asked.

"What makes you think that?" Morobishi responded as he looked at the read out from an electronic device he'd placed on his desk.

"Two men tried to shoot me at the coronation festival just now," Serenity answered in a way that told him she knew more than a normal human was capable of knowing. "They're in your employ."

"Are they? I employ a lot of people, and I can't be responsible for their actions when they're on their own time," Morobishi told her. "Maybe they don't like you."

"Not everybody does," Serenity sighed. "But that's no reason to try to shoot me. Actually there's no real reason to try to shoot anybody. I'd like to think that differences can be worked out without using violence."

"Not everybody shares your views, Serenity-Hime."

"How can we resolve this?" Serenity persisted.

"You are assuming that I have some connection to this," Morobishi explained patiently. "As I said, I had nothing to do with any attempt on your life."

Scowling, Serenity turned to one of the assistants still sitting on the floor.

"Could you stand up, please?" she requested. The man complied happily. "Do you know who told those two men to try to kill me?"

"Yes, Serenity-Hime," the man smiled, overjoyed that he could help. "It was Morobishi-Sama. He issued the order himself. I hope that doesn't upset you."

"Impressive," Morobishi commented. "But a coerced confession isn't admissible as evidence in a trial."

"I'm not interested in that!" Serenity replied impatiently. "I just want to find out why. Why you and whoever else might be with you is so opposed to me becoming queen that you'd try to shoot me. Because if we could just discuss our differences, maybe we could reach an amicable solution."

Morobishi silently considered what she said. He glanced again at the device on his desk.

"Very well," he replied. "Since this device tells me you aren't wearing any transmitters or recording devices, it will be your word against mine. You and your husband intend to change things. Change how the government works, change how society may work. But what you've forgotten in your zeal to make everything better for everyone is that there are people who liked the way things were. They were happy with the status quo. They were comfortable with it. It, well, benefited them."

"Financially?" Serenity asked.

"Among other things," Morobishi nodded. "And you're going to change that. Every action has a reaction, Serenity-Hime. Everything you give to somebody is something that you take from somebody else. And they're not going to just smile and understand. Whether it's money or power, status or social morality, you're taking it from them and they're going to fight you. They're going to protect what they see as theirs."

"But can't they see that I'm trying to make everyone's life better?" Serenity countered. "Yes, it might mean sacrificing something initially. I'm sacrificing a life that I truly enjoyed. I never wanted to be queen. I never wanted to lead anybody. But they need me to lead, want me to lead. And if we just all work together and are willing to sacrifice just a little personal gain, I believe that this land can become a utopia of peace."

"You're talking to the wrong person," Morobishi told her. "I'm Yakuza. I'm an outcast. An outsider. I don't care about society because I've never had a reason to care. I prey on a society that has rejected me. If it goes up in flames, I'll just find new prey."

"You don't have to be an outsider," Serenity said. "Nobody has to be an outsider if I'm able to achieve what I hope to achieve."

"Maybe I like being an outsider," Morobishi smiled.

"Do you?" she asked. "I remember when I was working with the tsunami relief, that one of the first ones who stepped up to aid the survivors was the Yakuza, even before the government stepped in. Are you going to tell me you did that for profit?"

"Mother nature takes from everybody. She makes no distinctions," Morobishi shrugged. "People are different. Even you, Serenity-Hime."

"And are you one of these people that I'm taking from?" Serenity ventured. "Or was this just a business deal?"

"Business, initially. But you and your reforms and your police and your senshi are beginning to crowd me. We in the Yakuza have always had a response for people who crowd us too much. It isn't a socially acceptable one, but remember I am an outsider."

Serenity folded her arms over her chest. She stared at the floor for the longest time. Morobishi began to wonder what her response was going to be. He had read up on Sailor Moon, knew how powerful she was, and knew that her new guise of Serenity was even more powerful. But the Sailor Moon he knew of was always someone who sought peace first and resorted to the destruction of an enemy as a last resort and only when others were threatened. So far, this woman Serenity had demonstrated the same philosophy. But one of the things he had learned over the years was that people often compromised their principles if it meant getting something they really wanted.

"So, Morobishi-San," she began finally, polite as ever, "what would it take to get you to cooperate with the new government? Are you fixed on my death? Or would something else satisfy you?"

"You're willing to deal with the Yakuza?" he asked.

"I told you that nobody is excluded unless they exclude themselves," Serenity told him.

Morobishi thought for a moment. "Very well. We coexist. You tell the police and your senshi, especially that Sailor Venus, to leave us alone - - and we'll leave you alone."

"So you can steal and cheat and hurt innocent people?" Serenity replied, aghast.

"Is the person seeking to gamble innocent?" Morobishi asked. "Or the person seeking a prostitute? And doesn't the person who won't safeguard their property deserve to lose it, just as the animal who doesn't take precautions against a predator deserve to fall to that predator?" He chuckled. "Innocence is a matter of perception, Serenity-Hime. But those are my terms. If you accept them, I pledge my cooperation and I have a great deal of influence with the other gangs." His smile dimmed. "If you don't, then we are enemies."

He noticed Serenity's eyes drop and her brow furrow. What would be her next move?

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. Queen Serenity Decrees

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 11: "Queen Serenity Decrees"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"The coronation of Sailor Moon as Queen Serenity of Japan erupted in violence," a reporter on the scene spoke into his microphone as a camera photographed him and the scene behind him. "Two assassins, in what's termed as a possible coordinated attack, attempted to end the life of the Queen as she took the reins of power. Police and the Sailor Senshi apprehended both alleged assassins as well as a third man believed to be connected with the plot. No other details have been released."

Luna turned disdainfully away from the reporter and waited at the door of the palace for Ami. The young doctor was approaching the castle after working with paramedic units to help those injured in the panicked stampede after the first shot rang out. Ami looked tired and just a little bit depressed.

"That's the last of them," Ami sighed. "All the victims who needed hospitalization have been evacuated and all those with minor injuries have been treated."

"Do you have an idea of how many?" Luna asked. Artemis was next to her.

"Forty-seven total," Ami responded. "Fifteen people trampled in the stampede." She looked down for a moment. "One death so far: A little girl about Setsuko's age."

Luna nodded. "Try to keep this from Her Majesty if possible."

"Why?" Artemis asked, startled.

"Because she'll only blame herself," Luna responded sharply. "She's already enduring a crisis of confidence given the emotional trauma of her dispute with Rei. I'm not certain she could handle such news."

"I wonder," Ami mused. The cat looked up at her. "She seemed quite determined when she levitated - - I assume to meet with this Yakuza head. It was quite different than her reactions earlier."

"You think she's come to terms with being a monarch?" Artemis asked.

"I think she would term it 'resigned'," Ami said. "But yes, I think she has accepted the necessity of it. And I think on a certain level, she likes the ability to change things to the way she thinks they should run. Usagi always had strong beliefs in right and wrong, and now she has the ability to bring those beliefs to reality."

"I should hope so," Luna stated. "She's no use as a monarch if she doesn't have a clear vision and the will to enforce that vision."

"Agreed," Ami nodded. "I would caution two things: Such actions will engender opposition. We've seen an example of that today."

"This could happen again?" Artemis asked.

"Assassination as a means of political change is a very old concept, and Japan is no different," Ami told him. "Every ruler or politician lives with the threat of assassination. There is always opposition and radical change often inflames that opposition, sometimes to drastic measures."

"You mentioned a second caution," Luna commented.

"The age-old danger of centralizing power in a single entity, whether a monarchy, junta or dictatorship," Ami explained. "The abuse of such power from a lack of checks and balances."

"I trust Serenity," Luna proclaimed.

"I trust Serenity more than I would someone else," Ami countered. "But she's already demonstrated a capacity to abuse her abilities, even if through ignorance. This road we're all embarking down isn't free of perils and pitfalls."

"Frankly, I'm more worried about something more current," Artemis spoke up. "She's meeting with the man who may have ordered her murder. And she's doing it alone."

Inside the palace, Sailor Venus was talking with Superintendent Sakurada and Endymion. Also in the room were Rei and Makoto. Makoto was sitting with Setsuko.

"The boys will get to work interrogating the three prisoners," Sakurada told them both. "I don't expect the two Yakuza to talk, although we might get lucky. That one who runs the cork gun game will probably spill his guts about everything he knows." She frowned. "I just don't think he knows a lot."

"I'm just glad they didn't succeed," Makoto said as she looked over Setsuko's shoulder. Setsuko was in her lap reading a picture book.

"Yeah, red blood stains on a white gown is so unfashionable," quipped Venus. She got a grunt of disgust from Rei.

"I really wish Sailor, um, Queen, um, Serenity," Sakurada stumbled, "hadn't gone over to Morobishi's to confront him."

"You don't think he'll hurt her?" Venus asked. "Serenity can take care of herself. If anybody should watch out, it's Morobishi."

"I'm more worried that she'll say or do something to tip him off that we're investigating him," Sakurada responded. "That'll give him enough warning to cover any tracks he might have left - - if he hasn't already. Morobishi is smart, and he doesn't flinch in a confrontation. You don't get to be head of the Tokyo Yakuza otherwise."

Just then Sakurada got a call on her cell phone.

"She did?" the superintendent gasped. Everybody looked at her. "Hold him! I'll be right there!" Sakurada closed the phone. "Queen Serenity just appeared in the district police headquarters! With Morobishi in custody!" She pivoted and headed for the door. "Come on, V-Chan! We'll take my car!" Endymion was already on their heels.

"Mamoru-Papa?" Setsuko inquired, seeing him leave.

"It's all right, Setsuko-Chan," Makoto cooed in her ear. "Your Daddy is just going to pick up your Mommy."

"OK," Setsuko said trustingly and returned her attention to her picture book. Rei looked at the child, recalling how just a few days ago the departure of the child's adoptive parents would have sent her into hysterics. Now she was calm and well-adjusted enough to trust that they would come back.

And Rei found herself envying the girl.

At the police station, Sakurada led Venus and Endymion to the main holding facility where she knew Morobishi would be processed. There she was met by a uniformed officer who saluted crisply to her.

"Morobishi has been demanding his lawyer ever since he got here," the officer related. "He cooperated with the booking process, but otherwise he's being very loud and demonstrative."

"Where's Serenity?" Sakurada asked. Just then Endymion brushed past them into the room.

"My guess would be to follow him," Venus pointed.

They found Endymion kneeling beside Serenity. Serenity was sitting in a chair. She was clearly physically stressed. Endymion had his hand on her wrist and the other on her neck.

"Are you all right, Queen Serenity?" Sakurada asked.

"I'll be fine," Serenity gasped, out of breath. "But it's going to be a while before I try teleporting two people again. Especially someone as big as him!"

"You just sit there until you're not dizzy anymore," Endymion advised her.

"Endymion, I could be here for years!" Serenity said to him with a grin. Her husband smirked back.

"What happened, Queen Serenity?" Sakurada questioned.

"Well," Serenity exhaled, "Morobishi-San admitted that he arranged the assassination attempts. He'd been hired to do it. He wouldn't say who hired him, though."

"That's OK," Sakurada said. "We'll dump his phone records. See who he's been talking to over the last few weeks."

"IT'S A LIE!" roared Morobishi. "I said no such thing! It's her word against mine!"

"Do you have any corroborating evidence, Queen Serenity?" Sakurada asked her.

"That won't be necessary," Serenity responded.

"At a trial, it will," Sakurada told her. "He can't be convicted based solely on your testimony, Queen Serenity. It's enough to hold him . . ."

"There won't be a trial," Serenity interrupted. Everybody looked at her, confused, except for Endymion and Venus. Venus had a hopeful look on her face. Serenity took a breath. "Superintendent Sakurada, I order you to take Morobishi-San to prison. He'll be held there until I decide that he's no longer a threat to the general public," she said firmly. Then she weakened. "Please?"

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" bellowed Morobishi.

"Of course I can! I'm Queen!" Serenity replied. Then she turned to Endymion. "I can do that, can't I?"

"I think you just did," Endymion replied, pride and amusement struggling for control of him.

"WHAT ABOUT MY RIGHTS?" Morobishi demanded. "I HAVE RIGHTS!"

"Not anymore, you don't," Venus chuckled.

"And what about the rights of those you harm?" Serenity asked him.

"THIS IS JUST REVENGE! REVENGE BECAUSE YOU THINK I TRIED TO HAVE YOU KILLED!" Serenity rose from the chair and glided over to the holding cell.

"No, I've forgiven you for that," she told him. "I'm not doing this to punish you. I'm doing this because you're a threat to the safety and happiness of the public. When you stop being a threat is when you regain your freedom, and that's up to you."

"So," Morobishi scowled, "follow you or stay in prison?"

"You don't have to follow me," Serenity told him gently. "You don't even have to give up being an outsider, since you love it so much. I'd love for you to be part of the new world we're going to try to forge, but I'll respect your choice if you don't. But I won't let you hurt people. If that's what makes you happy, then their happiness is more important than yours. When you learn to live and let live, then you'll be free." Endymion and Venus both looked on with a new level of respect for her.

She turned to go. But before she was able to exit the room, Sakurada stopped her.

"So," Sakurada began, "Constitutional legal procedure is no longer in effect?"

"It is," Serenity assured her. "Endymion and I have no desire to replace you or the procedures you operate under. But if one of us determines that someone is a threat to the general public, we're going to intercede."

"With you as judge and jury?" Sakurada asked.

"When it's necessary," Serenity replied. "I won't let people be hurt if I can stop it."

With that, she swept out, with Endymion and Venus behind her. One of the officers eased up next to Sakurada.

"Didn't take her long to start exercising her power," he observed.

"Well I'm not going to lose any sleep over Morobishi going to prison," Sakurada declared. "I just wonder if she's going to limit herself to people like him."

* * *

"We're already seeing the dangers of conferring absolute power in a single individual," Dietman Takahashi proclaimed. He was being interviewed on a morning news broadcast. "The Constitution and the laws and procedures it sets up have given the citizens of Japan freedom from the oppression of totalitarian dictatorship. And with the sweep of a hand, this Sailor Moon has abolished it. It's a harkening back to the days of the military government that led Japan to World War II and left the country broken and devastated for years after."

"Takahashi-San, the man she jailed was reputedly head of one of the most powerful Yakuza gangs in all of Japan," the interviewer reminded him.

"Whether criminal punishment was deserved or not is not the point here," Takahashi argued. "In an enlightened democratic society, either everyone has rights or no one does. And those who govern must follow and uphold the laws and procedures of the country they govern - - all the laws and procedures. You can't just pick and choose which ones you want to follow and which are inconvenient."

"But isn't the definition of a monarchy that of power to govern being invested in a single entity? And by definition, doesn't that grant that individual the ability to make and alter laws without consent of either a legislature or approval of the people? That is what the people voted for in the referendum."

"By a fifty-three to forty-seven percent margin," Takahashi reminded everyone. "And I wonder how many of those who voted for it are reconsidering their decision now. They have to be asking themselves how soon it will be until Sailor Moon is jailing not only people whose lifestyles she finds abhorrent, but political dissidents as well. Why by coming on this program and voicing my concerns, I might become the next person she locks away without a trial or a determined sentence."

"Rubbish," sneered Luna. She walked away from the television with both her nose and tail in the air.

"He's merely expressing a concern that more than one person might have," Hayami said. They and Makoto were in the shared gathering room in the palace. "Some people worry about conferring too much power in one person. How do you stop them if they go too far?"

"Morobishi tried to have her killed!" Makoto protested. "And he was a Yakuza Oyabun! If anything, Serenity went too light on him!"

"So it's OK to deprive a person of their rights if we don't like them?" Hayami asked.

"Equal protection - - that's law," Makoto shot back. "What goes around comes around - - that's justice. Serenity might not have followed the law, but she dispensed some justice. And I'm not going to bash her for it. This guy has an ulterior motive."

"Well that's not hard to believe," Hayami nodded. "Dietman Takahashi was against the referendum from the start. He's lost a lot of power and prestige because of this."

"See, there you go," Makoto said. Ami walked in.

"Are you debating the merits of legislative democracy versus monarchy again?" Ami asked her husband. She leaned in and they kissed politely.

"You know I'm a sucker for a good philosophical debate," Hayami grinned.

"I'm off to check on some of the people who were injured in yesterday's melee," Ami told them.

"Any word from Superintendent Sakurada on who might have hired Morobishi to shoot Serenity?" Makoto asked.

"Minako said it was a dead end," Ami related. "Morobishi-San received a phone call just after the attempt, which Superintendent Sakurada found quite suspicious. But the call was made from a disposable pre-paid cell phone and there's no way to trace it."

"Damn. I so want to get hold of the lowlife who wants Serenity dead," muttered Makoto.

"Do you think he'll try again?" Hayami asked.

"I'm afraid the logical response would be 'yes'," Ami frowned. "Perhaps Morobishi-San's swift arrest will put an end to plans short term, but I would have to think that someone motivated enough to make such plans would be motivated enough to try again in the face of failure."

"Which makes it that much more important to find this guy," Makoto fumed.

"The police are trying," Ami told her. "Minako said they've even gone so far as to question Morobishi-San's wife and son." She checked her watch. "I have to leave. Don't let him goad you into any more philosophical debates, Makoto. He can occupy your time for hours."

"Spoil sport," Hayami smiled.

* * *

The sun was still rising over the first full day of the reign of King Endymion and Queen Serenity. Rei looked out over the city from a palace balcony. But the images didn't register. She was too preoccupied. She'd only gone out onto the balcony in the first place because the palace itself was too claustrophobic. Brooding over her problems, Rei didn't sense the presence of another person at first. But Phobos, perched on her shoulder, did. The bird cawed and the priest turned with a start, her breath held and her pulse racing.

"Still jumpy, I see," Derek observed. Rei looked away. "When I woke up and you weren't in bed, I got worried."

"You sleep too late," Rei said, still not looking at him.

"I'm a baseball player. We work late hours," Derek quipped. "Walls closing in on you again?" Rei bowed her head.

"I tried to do a fire reading," Rei admitted. Derek could tell every word was painful for her to utter. "Nothing. I still couldn't hear the voice of the flames. And then the silence got too bad. I started feeling closed in - - trapped again."

"Rei, when are you going to get help?" Derek asked point blank.

"Who could help me?" she volleyed back. "Name someone who has dealt with being abducted to another dimension and kept for two years in a hellish little hole in the ground. Name someone who could understand that my second sight, the sight I've had since I was eight, is gone! Name someone who could have the knowledge to help me get it back." Her hand went to her forehead and she clutched part of her jet black hair. "Or at least stop the nightmares." Phobos cawed again and nuzzled her cheek.

"Yeah, you'd be a pretty unique case, no question about it," Derek sympathized. "Might even get the doctor a book deal. But being a unique case doesn't mean untreatable. At least try. You're no good to anyone, especially yourself, going like this. You don't sleep. When you do, you wake up all tense. You let your priest duties slide. You haven't sang a note since I got back. And half the time when I touch you, you flinch."

"I'm sorry," Rei offered.

"I'm not looking for sorry. I'm looking for the woman I fell in love with. I miss her. I keep thinking that she's drowning and I can't do anything to save her."

Rei only bowed her head.

"OK," Derek sighed. "If you won't go to a pro, maybe I can help you. What did you dream last night? What was your nightmare?"

Rei looked at him skeptically. Derek silently urged her on.

"Actually," Rei began, "it wasn't scary this time. Just unexpected. I was in a forest, covered with snow. Barren trees. Dark and grey, not night but the sun was obscured by the clouds. The dark and the cold reminded me of my cell. I started running. The snow came up to my knees, but I kept running. I finally got out of the forest and found this vast field with nothing but snow. Nothing anywhere, no buildings, no animals or people, nothing."

Derek listened intently.

"And then I saw someone, and I ran to them," Rei recalled. "This is usually where the dream turns into a nightmare. The figure turns out to be one of them. And he hits me or chokes me, or douses me with water - - and I wake up."

"But not this time?"

"This time it was Grandpa," Rei said, tears forming in her eyes. "When I saw it was him, I kept running, trying to get to him. But I couldn't. I couldn't get any closer." Rei began crying. "I wish he was here now."

Derek came over and hugged Rei. Phobos jumped over to the railing and watched them both curiously. Rei felt Derek's arms engulf her and sought out their protection. It was one of the few times she'd felt secure since returning from Knorr.

Phobos let out a cry. The two people looked up to see what had set off the crow. Framed in the doorway was Serenity. She was crying, too.

Concluded in Chapter 12


	12. A Time Of Healing

THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 12: "A Time Of Healing"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Phobos let out a cry. Derek and Rei looked up to see what had set off the crow. Framed in the doorway to the balcony overlooking Azabu-Juuban was Serenity. She was crying, too.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," Rei apologized, turning away to hide her embarrassment.

"Can you do something for her?" Derek asked desperately. "This is eating her up inside. I know you tried once . . .!"

"I'm," Serenity sniffed, "not sure I should try that. Rei was right, I did take too much for granted." She knelt down next to Rei and touched her arm. "But I want to help, Rei. Even if it's just a shoulder to cry on, I want to help! I can't stand seeing you like this!"

"You've got a country to run," Rei whispered. "I'll get through this."

"Honest to God, you are the stubbornist woman I've ever known!" Derek exclaimed in exasperation. "I thought my Mom was stubborn . . .!"

"Don't blaspheme," Rei softly admonished him. "And don't talk ill of your mother."

"Rei, it's not a sin to need help!" Derek fumed. "Even priests need help! You're always talking about your Grandfather, how great a priest he was! He ever need help? What about that Ogami-Sensei you always talk about? You gonna tell me she never needed help?"

Derek stopped when he felt Serenity's hand on his shoulder.

"Rei," Serenity began gently, "maybe that's what Grandpa was trying to tell you. Maybe you can get back to where you belong if you let somebody help you." Rei whirled on her and stared in shock.

"How do you know about that?" she asked with a trembling voice.

Serenity shrugged. "I don't know. I just knew. Maybe I can do that now. Maybe I just made a lucky guess. All of this is so new to me that all I do now is do what I think is right and hope it was the right guess. That's what happened earlier. I thought it was the right thing to do, and I guessed wrong. These powers didn't come with a manual - - and I probably wouldn't have read it anyway. But I didn't do it on purpose. Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," Rei admitted. Her shoulders slumped. "Maybe you're right. Maybe Grandpa was trying to tell me something."

Just then Setsuko ran out onto the balcony. She situated herself between Serenity and Rei and patted Serenity on her shoulder to get the woman's attention.

"Usagi-Mama!" the child exclaimed urgently. "Come see what I did!"

"I will, Setsuko-Chan," Serenity told her. "But not now. I'm helping Rei with a problem now."

"But Usagi-Mama!" the child whined.

"I'll come, but not now," Serenity said, hugging her. "Please don't be selfish."

"Come along, Setsuko-Chan," Luna was heard to say sternly from the door to the balcony. "Your mother is busy helping other people. You mustn't impose upon her. It doesn't show good breeding."

"Yes, Luna," Setsuko sighed. But before she escaped, Serenity grabbed her and kissed her cheek. Released, the girl scampered off with Luna herding her toward the common living area. Serenity turned back to Rei and found her staring after Setsuko.

"You really managed to help her, didn't you?" Rei mused. Serenity looked on hopefully, but didn't push. She knew Rei well enough to know her friend had to make the decision on her own. Rei sighed.

She glanced at Derek. He wanted her to, but didn't say it.

"How about," Rei sighed, "I try talking to Ami."

"I think that's a great idea," Serenity said hopefully.

"I mean, she's got a good way with patients."

"The best!"

"Or I could talk to Makoto. She's pretty straight forward and level headed."

"She is! She is!"

"She could probably help me sort things out."

"I'll give her anything she needs to help you!"

"All right, Serenity," Rei frowned. "Honestly, you never know when to quit." The priest became reflective. "It's not that I don't trust your intentions. It's just," and Rei sighed, "I've had enough people messing with my mind. I wish it were as simple as it was with Setsuko-Chan. I have more to lose. And I want to know that I can do this."

She glanced at Serenity and tried to grin.

"Besides, you'd probably want to plant that marriage stuff in my head again," Rei joked.

"It'd do you good to be married," Serenity nervously joked back.

"Well I decide how I feel about those things." She grew self-conscious. "Sorry, Derek. I'm just not ready to commit yet. And you wouldn't want to be married to me in this state anyway."

"Who says?" he grinned. "It's OK. I'll wear you down."

With some effort, Rei pried herself to her feet. She tenderly caressed Derek's cheek, then gave Serenity a look that silently thanked her.

"Don't worry," Rei said. "I'm going to do it. I'm just going to try to get a little rest first."

Serenity looked puzzled for a moment. "Was I that transparent," the Queen asked, "or-or did you read that?"

Rei thought a moment.

"I guess I read it," she responded. "I guess it is still in there - - somewhere."

* * *

In a recently renovated restaurant in Chiyoda-Ku, a man entered, looked around and headed for one of the tables in the back. He was, to anyone watching him, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Being Jinro Takahashi, a high-ranking member of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party and a high-ranking member of the country's Diet, such a thing wasn't easy to do. Fortunately for him, traffic in the restaurant was light and no one recognized him. He slid into a seat across from a woman who also seemed to be trying not to stand out.

"I got your message," Takahashi said in a low voice. "What's so important?"

"I have a message for you from Yoshiki," Shiho Morobishi told him. "He wants to know what you're going to do about getting him out of prison."

"What can I do?" Takahashi asked. "I don't have any influence with the 'current government'. I'm the vocal opposition, remember?"

"Well I would suggest you do something," Shiho replied, fixing a steely gaze on the politician. "Otherwise the press might just learn who hired my husband to hit Queen Serenity."

Takahashi studied her. He had always thought of Shiho Morobishi as a small, refined, mannered woman more at home with hosting guests and being the doting wife. But he remembered that with her husband incarcerated, she ran his gang in Chiyoda now, until somebody toppled her. And she suddenly looked like she would be difficult to topple.

"The word of a gangster," Takahashi replied, trying to sound unimpressed. "If his men hadn't missed, he wouldn't be where he is now."

"They're being dealt with," Shiho replied. "The question remains."

"It takes time to mount a political opposition," Takahashi told her. "I don't have a natural disaster to turn the tide of public opinion."

"Perhaps we need to try again to kill her?"

"No. If you miss again, it will just sway more public sympathy to her side. That will give her a freer hand to suspend the Constitution and impose her authority unilaterally," Takahashi advised. "Even if you hit her, you might just turn her into a martyr now. No, she has to be discredited. Then she can be toppled."

"And while that happens," Shiho observed, "IF it happens, my husband languishes in prison."

Takahashi looked her straight in the eye.

"Are you worried that you're not strong enough to hold on to his position and his gang while he's gone?" he asked. Shiho bristled silently. "Morobishi-San is famous for his patience. He needs to hold on to that patience now. And your people need to continue business as usual. If Queen Serenity and her bunch can't stop you, it will be one more black mark against her. And if she does manage to put a stop to the gambling and pornography, that will rile some of the populace against her, too. People don't react well to change if that change eliminates something they want."

The woman looked at Takahashi, considering what he said.

"I will relay what you said to Yoshiki," Shiho said, taking a drag from her cup of tea. "If he agrees, we will follow your plan. I will not try to influence him either way. It is his decision." She got up to leave. "And if he decides that patience will ill-serve him, then I hope you have a good attorney. Either we all benefit from this, or we all go down together."

* * *

Serenity and Endymion were conducting a tour of the palace for Haruka and Michiru. The pair had no sooner arrived back in Tokyo when Serenity appeared at their door and invited them to look things over.

"So this is the Crystal Palace, huh?" Haruka said as they strolled down one of the long corridors. "Pretty big place."

"And so empty," Michiru remarked. "I like the crystal walls, but it's - - lacking something. Of course you are just starting out."

"Would you like to decorate the place?" Serenity asked. "Someone with your eye for design would be able to do wonders with this - - this cavern. Honestly I told Kakyu-Chan it was too much, but she just wouldn't listen."

"Kakyu-Chan?" Michiru asked, amused. Serenity colored.

"I guess I shouldn't call her that," Serenity confessed.

"I'll pass," Michiru replied. "But I will give you a few of my paintings if you'd like to hang them."

"I WOULD LOVE THAT!" gasped Serenity.

"It's very generous," Endymion added. "Of course, you're both welcome to live here if you like."

"Yes, please, we'd love to have you!" Serenity echoed.

"We're happy where we are," Michiru answered diplomatically. "But don't forget, if you ever need us, just call."

"So what's on your agenda, Your Most Royal Majesty?" Haruka asked with her tongue in her cheek as they entered the shared family room.

"Now don't you start with that too!" Serenity stomped her foot petulantly. "It's bad enough I can't get Luna to stop referring to me with that 'Your Majesty' stuff!"

"Yes, perish the thought you be addressed in accordance with your station," Luna commented acidly. She was sitting on the back of a sofa watching Setsuko and Ichiro play a video game. A news broadcast was on the television. Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako were at a table in the far end of the room, discussing something.

"OK. Can I call you Queen Dumpling?" Haruka smirked. Serenity screwed her mouth up in a petulant scowl while Michiru elbowed Haruka in the ribs.

"Many critics," the news commentator said on the television, "contend that Sailor Moon is already demonstrating the first signs of an aloof dictator."

"She sits up in her palace like she's above everyone," said the previously taped interview with a former Liberal Democrat Diet member, Wataru Shinzo. "She's already imposing her will, suspending due process and unilaterally altering tax codes and business regulation. She's setting dangerous precedents and unless she's stopped now, she might not be able to be stopped later."

"The foul-tasting wine made from sour grapes," Luna proclaimed. "Don't expend another second listening to him, Your Majesty."

"No, Luna," Serenity replied. "That's a mistake. Every leader should listen to criticism, examine it and if it's valid, take it to heart. Otherwise you do become insulated and fixed on a path that might not always be the best one." She fell silent, watching Shinzo on television. "And STOP calling me Your Majesty!"

"And you were doing so well there, too," Luna sighed.

"That's an encouraging philosophy, Serenity," Michiru began. "But just how do you intend to take such criticism to heart? You should remember that the person delivering such criticism might not have a legitimate grievance and might only be criticizing for personal gain."

"Well one thing he's right about," Serenity replied. "Some of my actions might be making people nervous about Endymion and I having absolute power. And we are kind of insulated here in this - - incredibly huge palace." Her eyes grew wide. "I know! I'll go out and meet with the people!"

"Again?" Endymion asked warily.

"Why not? Go out on a city street and start greeting people, talk to them and find out what they want and what they're worried about."

"Serenity," Ami spoke up from the table. "That plan is incredibly dangerous!"

"You think I might attract a crowd?"

"Uh, duh!" Minako replied. "Plus there's the little matter of two guys took a shot at you day before yesterday."

"That's been dealt with," Serenity shook her head.

"Has it?" Makoto asked. "Just because Morobishi's in jail doesn't mean the hit is off. I have to side with Ami."

"But you're going to do it anyway," Rei sighed. "I wouldn't even need to have my sight back to see that. Why don't you make it easy and paint a big red bull's-eye on your gown?"

"But some of what he says is right!" protested Serenity. "What kind of a ruler would I be if I just stayed in this palace all of the time and never met with the people who made me Queen in the first place?"

"A live one," Endymion said. Serenity whirled on him.

"Not you too, Endymion!" she groaned.

"A foolish chance might accomplish something grand," Endymion told her, "but it's still a foolish chance."

Serenity's mouth hardened. "Well I don't care! I'm going to do this. This is important." She smiled gently. "And I'll be all right."

"You're so sure," Endymion sighed. Serenity nodded confidently. "Then I guess I'd better come to make certain." Serenity's face lit up.

"Then I'm coming, too!" Minako bolted from her chair.

"So will I," Ami added. "Minako's right. There can't be too much security."

"What security?" Makoto grinned. "This is going to be a media event and Blondie's not going to miss being in front of a camera."

"Do you suppose passing out publicity photos would be too much?" Minako asked. Everyone heard Rei snort out a smothered laugh. Minako pumped her fist and whispered, "Yes!"

People on a downtown street in Azabu-Juuban turned at the sudden commotion. Coming up the street, flanked by six senshi and a tall man in a pastel grey tuxedo, was Queen Serenity. She was actually going up to strangers on the street, bowing to them and engaging them in conversation. People noticed that her smile lit up the street and she seemed to glide behind the billowing white gown rather than walk.

As word spread, more and more people came from out of stores and office buildings and from surrounding streets. Pretty soon the street was clogged with a mass of humanity, surrounding the King and Queen and their guardians. Endymion and the senshi looked on nervously, but Serenity was in her element, engaging people at random as everyone else looked on in awe. Rather than it seeming staged, everyone got the sense that she genuinely cared about what people told her. It went on like that until a television news crew managed to muscle their way to the Queen.

"Queen Serenity!" shouted the reporter. "Why are you doing this?"

"Two reasons," Serenity replied after considering the question for a moment. "First, I wanted to thank everyone. Their faith in me is a great honor. And I want to let everyone know that I'll try my very best to live up to the faith that's been placed in me. And to those who opposed my becoming queen, I just want to say please don't be afraid to speak out against me, or to criticize me. I welcome all viewpoints and I will listen and consider what you say."

"You mentioned a second reason," prompted the reporter.

"I just wanted to meet some of the people," Serenity shrugged. "Hear what they had to say. And see if I could help them in any way. After all, I can make things happen faster than anyone else if I have to. Who better to tell your problems to?"

Serenity ended the interview by turning away. She knelt down and began chatting up an awestruck seven year old boy as his mother looked on. And the crowd grew larger with people trying to get a glimpse of the famous Queen Serenity.

And the feeling began to spread through the assembled that they had made the right choice after all.

The end of the beginning


End file.
